Deadline Looms: 11 Million SIM Cards at Risk of Deactivation

About 11 million active Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards in Ghana are at risk of being disconnected and deleted as the deadline for re-registration with the Ghana Card expires today.

In response, hundreds of people, many of whom are attempting to register their SIM cards for the first time, have flocked to National Identification Authority (NIA) centers in a desperate attempt to obtain their Ghana Card.

The Ghana Card is the only accepted identification document required for the completion of SIM card re-registration.

There were long queues of last-minute applicants at NIA centers, including the Premium Centre at the NIA head office in Shiashie, Accra, as well as other premium centers in various regions.

To accommodate the increasing numbers, the NIA has set up canopies outside its halls.

However, despite the capacity of the centers to process 650 applications, the NIA acknowledges that it won’t be able to issue cards to all applicants within the limited time frame.

The Executive Secretary of the NIA, Professor Ken Agyeman Attafuah, expressed regret that many people waited until the last minute to pay a premium fee of GH¢280 for a service that was previously available for free.

The NIA had daily operational capacities at its head office and other premium centers, but the overwhelming demand has resulted in additional recruitment and the establishment of registration points to ease the pressure.

However, the NIA noticed that when the SIM card re-registration deadline was extended in the past, people became complacent, resulting in low turnout at the centers. As the deadline approached, there was an avalanche of demands and a rush of applicants, despite the additional cost.

The NIA, in response to the high demand and approaching deadline, opened its doors to accommodate those who had not booked appointments, providing canopies and chairs for their comfort.

Professor Attafuah acknowledged the unfortunate situation, with many people waiting in the sun for a service that was previously available at no cost.

The deadline for SIM card re-registration follows a previous announcement of mass disconnection of unregistered SIM cards.

Out of the approximately 36 million active SIM cards in circulation as of last month, 25 million (69.6%) had completed both stages of the re-registration process with verified Ghana Cards.

The remaining 11 million active SIM cards include those exempted based on various demographics and those that have not been registered with the Ghana Card using the current process.

Mobile network providers, such as AirtelTigo, have seen a significant increase in subscribers visiting their premises to begin the re-registration exercise.

AirtelTigo has deployed its staff to assist subscribers in completing the process and avoid deactivation. The company has requested an extension to ensure all customers complete the registration exercise.

The re-registration process was initiated by the National Communications Authority (NCA) to verify SIM card registrations. The NCA deactivated approximately 6.1 million SIM cards belonging to subscribers who had only completed the first stage of the registration process. The NCA extended the deadline to include all subscribers and prevent further disconnections.