New SIM Registration to Begin in 2026; Ursula Owusu Only Wasted Everyone’s Time

The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Hon Samuel Nartey George, has announced that a new nationwide SIM registration exercise will begin in 2026, insisting that the previous process conducted under former Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful did not qualify as a proper registration.

Speaking in an exclusive interview on TV3 on Wednesday, December 3, monitored by ExpressNewsGhana, the Minister, who is MP for Ningo-Prampram revealed that preparations for the fresh registration are already far advanced. He said the Ministry is currently finalising procurement processes and completing the legal framework required for the rollout.

“First quarter next year, we’ll run it out. We’re currently at the Public Procurement Authority doing the procurement of the service provider to do the SIM registration,” he disclosed.

Mr. George added that the necessary Legislative Instrument (LI) has been drafted and will soon be laid before Parliament to provide a clear legal foundation for the exercise. He further noted that preliminary technical tests have already been conducted.

“Not a Re-Registration”

The Minister emphasised that the 2026 exercise is not a re-registration, arguing that the previous administration failed to carry out a legitimate SIM registration.

“You re-register something that was previously registered. You didn’t do any registration. The former minister just wasted everybody’s time,” he said.

Citing the government’s policy on identity verification, he explained that a proper registration must reference the National Identity Register managed by the National Identification Authority (NIA) using the Ghana Card.

According to him, the earlier process failed this requirement.

“The registrations that were perpetrated to have been done by Ursula Owusu and the NPP did not cross-reference the biometrics they took from you against that database,” he stated.

More Efficient and User-Friendly Process

Mr. George assured the public that the new registration will be more efficient and will not feature the long queues witnessed previously. He explained that most subscribers will not need fresh biometric capture, as their existing biometric details will be retrieved and linked.

“For those that have no match, the same way you book an appointment for passport or visa services, you will book an appointment at your service provider. So you won’t have a crowd of people lining up for days,” he noted.

Part of a Broader Fraud-Prevention System

The Minister highlighted that the updated registration system forms part of broader efforts to combat fraud, noting that SIM cards continue to be used for various unlawful activities.

He disclosed that the exercise will run alongside the implementation of a new directive known as the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR).

“Now when you register your SIM, your phone is also going to be registered. Every phone has a unique IMEI. So the IMEI of your phone is synced to your SIM card,” he explained.

Source: expressnewsghana.com