Some 9 million unregistered SIM cards in Ghana have been deactivated by telecommunications companies starting from today, 1st June, 2023.
This is in line with the directive given by the National Communications Authority (NCA).
Late in the year 2021, Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful announced that the registration of all mobile SIM cards with Ghana Cards will begin on October 1st, 2021.
According to the Minister, the exercise was intended at reducing the rising incidents of fraud through mobile accounts.
The exercise was scheduled to last six months, but was extended several times due to challenges faced by SIM card users.
However, the final deadline was yesterday, May 31st, 2023.
Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Ken Asigbey however affirmed that users can re-register their SIM cards even if they are unable to access features such as calling and receiving SMS.
He revealed that out of the 9 million unregistered subscribers, there are 7.4 million subscribers who will not have to access their mobile money accounts.
“Those who have not fully registered their SIM cards will be blocked and as we speak, the numbers of those that will be blocked are about 9 million and then if you consider those on mobile money that will be blocked, they are about 7.4 million, and they will not have access to their mobile money. So on the GSM side, you will not be able to make a call, you will not be able to receive a call, send a text, and also not be able to use data services.”
He however assured subscribers with unregistered SIM cards that the funds in their mobile money account would be protected by the network operators.
He went on to assure that an opportunity will be given to them to retrieve access to their mobile numbers and funds along with their records.
“For the 7.4 million subscribers who have over GH¢200 million on their wallets, when they are barred, they will get the opportunity if they register, they will get their numbers back to have access to their monies and historical records back.”
