Government has mounted a strong defence for the upcoming SIM card registration exercise, insisting that the initiative is necessary to fix deep-rooted flaws in the current database that have exposed citizens to identity theft and wrongful criminal accusations.
Addressing a media stakeholder engagement on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, said the primary objective of the SIM registration exercise is to build a secure, accurate and dependable system that protects consumers while supporting effective law enforcement.
According to him, deficiencies in the existing database have had serious real-life consequences, with innocent Ghanaians being wrongly linked to crimes due to cloned identities and inaccurate records.
“The Minister for Interior, who is also the National Security Minister, is insistent on having a credible SIM register. There have been instances where law enforcement, relying on the flawed data we have now, has apprehended the wrong person. We’ve had cases where a person’s Ghana card was cloned to register a SIM used in criminal activity, leading investigators to an innocent citizen.”
He stressed that the current effort is driven by outcomes, system integrity and public safety, not financial considerations.
“The person’s Ghana card was cloned and used to register a SIM that was involved in a criminal activity. So we have got huge needs that have to be dealt with,” he added.
The Minister explained that the government’s focus is on delivering a functional and trusted system jointly owned and managed by the National Communications Authority and the National Identification Authority.
“I am confident that if we get this right, this will be the final SIM registration exercise we will need,” he assured.
He also noted that the reforms are crucial to restoring public confidence and shielding citizens from the serious consequences of identity misuse.
“At the base of this is not procurement. At the base of this is consumer protection and comfort, because the real battle with the last registration was procurement. Today, that is not what our interest is. Our interest is getting a system that works and is owned by the NCA and the NIA, so I am very confident that if we do this right, this will be our final,” he said.
By: Ekow Annan/newsalertgh.com
