The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications in a statement on Monday, January 31, 2022, signed by its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Kenneth Ashigbey, said it is illegal and fraudulent for anybody to ask any customer to pay any amount as the cost of registration.

“It has come to our attention that SOME SIM Registration agents of Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) currently registering subscribers are charging some subscribers for the registration of their SIMs,” he noted.

For him, the ongoing SIM registration exercise is absolutely free and subscribers are not supposed to pay any agent any fee, adding that “The activity is a national exercise which is being funded by government and the mobile network operators.”

Mr Ashigbey also cautioned members of the public not to pay any fee to any registration agent for their SIM registration.

In 2011, SIM Registration Regulations, 2011 (LI 2006) were enacted, primarily to reduce mobile phone-related crimes such as prank calls, cybercrime, mobile money fraud and its related issues and general security.

The regulations were also intended to help the law enforcement agencies to identify SIM card owners, track criminals who use phones for illegal activities, curb phone theft, hate text messaging, mobile fraud activities and SIM Box fraud.

Below is the statement

SIM REGISTRATION IS ABSOLUTELY FREE Accra, January 31, 2022 –

It has come to our attention that SOME SIM Registration agents of Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) currently registering subscribers are charging some subscribers for the registration of their SIMs.

The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications on behalf of its members – AirtelTigo, MTN and Vodafone – wishes to notify its esteemed customers and the general public that the ongoing SIM registration exercise is absolutely FREE and subscribers are not supposed to pay any agent any fee. The activity is a national exercise which is being funded by government and the mobile network operators.

It is therefore illegal and fraudulent for anybody to ask any customer to pay any amount as the cost of registration.

We are by this statement, cautioning individuals perpetuating this illegal and fraudulent act to desist from it. We also implore the general public to desist from paying or offering payments to the agents. Subscribers who are asked to pay or charged for registration should report the incidences to the nearest police station or to their service providers.

The MNOs remain committed to full transparency and accountability to both the Government of Ghana and its customers, and seeks the support and understanding of its customers to make this exercise a success.

Signed
Ing. Kenneth Ashigbey Chief Executive Officer