The Government has strongly defended the upcoming SIM card registration exercise, emphasizing that it is aimed at protecting consumers and improving security, rather than focusing on procurement.
Addressing the media on March 17, 2026, the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, said the initiative seeks to fix flaws in the current SIM database that have exposed citizens to identity theft and wrongful criminal accusations.
“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… 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 explained.
Mr. George assured that the new system will be secure and reliable, jointly managed by the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the National Identification Authority (NIA).
“At the base of this is not procurement. At the base of this is consumer protection and comfort… I am very confident that if we do this right, this will be our final SIM registration exercise,” he added.
The minister highlighted that the reforms are essential to restoring public confidence and shielding citizens from the serious consequences of identity misuse.
