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The Minister for Communication and Digitization Ursula Owusu Ekuful has debunked assertions that the National Communication Authority (NIA) is the only outfit mandated to conduct the SIM registration.

Responding to a statement on the floor of Parliament, the Minister indicated that she would not have commented on the issue if not for the reaction of the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, on the floor of the House since the issue is in court.

“We have heard the Chief Executive of the National Identification Authority describe the SIM registration as a useless activity,” the Minority Leader stated.

He further said the NIA and the Ministry of Communication would be hauled before Parliament to give reports on the National Identification exercise.

But, the Minister of Communication reiterated that the NIA has not said anywhere that it is the sole Authority mandated by law to conduct SIM registration in this country adding that the comment from the Minority Leader cannot be factual.

“The NIA is mandated by law to collect biometric information for the purpose of issuing a National Identification Card. The law also requires certain activities to be done if you require verification of the identity of the person to use the National ID card as sole card for the purposes.

“So there is no law in this country which has given the NIA the authority to conduct SIM registration in the law. The SIM registration regulation makes it mandatory for only registered SIMs to be activated by any network operator. Any SIM which is not registered which is activated for use on any network in this country is being used illegally,” Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful stated.
She continued “We are seeking to correct that illegal use of SIM cards in this country. The regulator of Mobile Network Operator in this country acting under the National Communication Law, the SIM Regulation Authority to direct that all SIM of this country being registered for use on networks. That is the prerogative of the National Communication Authority working in conjunction with the Mobile Network Operators.”