The Mobile Money Agents Association of Ghana (MMAAG) has appealed to Government and the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation to consider extending the deadline of SIM card registration from 31st July 2022 to January 2023.
The SIM registration exercise began on October 1, 2021 and was expected to end on March 31, 2022.
As at 17th March, 14,091,542 SIM Cards had been linked to the Ghana Card, 10,348,532 Bio-Captures conducted and 99,445 New SIMs registered.
The Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful said due to a number of factors including the fact that over 7.5 million citizens and residents are yet to obtain Ghana Cards to enable them register their SIM cards, it was clear that the deadline for completion of the registration of the remaining active SIM cards could not be met.
The deadline for the registration of Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards using details of the Ghana Card was therefore extended to July 31, 2022.
However, it appears a lot of Ghanaians have still not gotten their Ghana cards while some are also having issues with theirs and have not been able to re-register their SIM cards.
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In a statement, the MMAAG observed that although millions of its customers and members are willing to update their credentials with the common denominator, unfortunately, access to the National Identification Authority’s service is really frustrating and difficult.
It also noted that their business was already struggling with the impact of e-levy, adding that this blockage will only not affect them but the Ghanaian populace.
“The Association has since endorsed this policy of Government due to its positive impact on our businesses by helping to curb fraud. As business people in the industry, it will be very detrimental to our businesses and the industry in general should Government pursue the 31st July 2022 deadline since many Ghanaians running into several millions are yet to be registered and issued the Ghanaian Identification card.
The business is already struggling with the impact of e-levy, and this blockage will only not affect us but the Ghanaian populace,” MMAAG stated.
It continued that,”It’s very clear that millions of our customers and our members are willing to update their credentials with the common denominator, unfortunately, access to the National Identification Authority’s service is really frustrating and difficult.
We appeal that with the realism and having considered the above inconveniences and challenges, the Government should extend the deadline to January 2023.”
Meanwhile, MMAAG pledged to support government in this exercise through its various touch points across the country to ensure significant Ghanaians update their SIMs.
“We believe this time frame should enable the NIA to decentralise the exercise for the smooth reach of Ghanaians,” it added.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
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