The NCA has instructed all disconnected SIMs to be delinked from all databases by Monday, April 17, 2023, including those blocked in November 2022 for failing to complete both stages of the sim registration. 

The directive also requires all SIM cards registered after the limit of 10 per individual to be delinked, deactivated, and removed from all databases by the same date.

The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, an industry association representing mobile network operators in Ghana, has encouraged subscribers who have acquired Ghana cards but have not completed registration to do so before April 17, 2023. 

Subscribers with more than 10 SIMs registered to themselves are also urged to verify their SIMs on record at their nearest mobile network operator service centres.

The Chamber in a press release said it had invested heavily in arrangements to ensure that subscribers who have their Ghana cards and are ready to register to get registered at any of their several touchpoints across the country.

However, subscribers who fail to complete registration before the deadline risk having their impacted SIMs completely deactivated without further notice or an extension of time.

It said it remained committed to supporting the efforts of all stakeholders to ensure that every customer in every part of the country registers their SIM card(s) with the Ghana card.

The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications is an advocacy institution established to help direct telecommunications policy, legislation and regulation, and pursue research towards the development of the telecommunications industry in Ghana.

Attached below is a copy of the full statement from the chamber;

SIM REGISTRATION EXERCISE – DELINKING, DEACTIVATION AND REMOVING DIRECTIVE FROM THE NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY

Accra, April 15 2023 - The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications wishes to inform the general public that its members (AirtelTigo, MTN and Vodafone) will be complying with a recent directive received from the National Communications Authority (NCA) regarding the ongoing SIM registration exercise.

The directive issued on April 13, 2023, is as follows:

1. All disconnected SIMs are to be delinked from all databases by Monday, April 17, 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, this included SIMs that were blocked in November 2022 for not having completed both stages of the sim registration.
2. All sim cards registered after the limit of 10 per individual are to be delinked, deactivated and removed from all databases by Monday, April 17, 2023.

Since November 2022, our members have been blocking services for subscribers who have not completed both stages of the SIM registration process, as directed by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation. 

The Chamber is encouraging all subscribers who have acquired Ghana cards but are yet to complete registration to do so before April 17, 2023. All subscribers with more than 10 SIMs registered to themselves should also visit their nearest mobile network operator service centres to urgently verify their SIMs on record.

Our members are obliged by the directive to completely deactivate all impacted subscriber SIMs which have not completed the registration by the said date without any further notice or extension of time for subscribers. It is important that the cherished customers of the networks are not barred from using voice, data, USSD, mobile money services and continue to have access to emergency and other important services. Subscribers with Ghana cards can avoid this inconvenience by completing stage 2 (the biometric capture) of the registration process.