We Will Extend Deadline For SIM Registration If Necessary - NCA

National Communications Authority, has indicated that it will extend the March 31 deadline for the ongoing SIM card re-registration if it becomes necessary. Authority’s Director of Consumer and Corporate Affairs, Nana Defie Badu in an interview said the ongoing process is being monitored and the NCA will ensure that adequate time

is given for the process. She explained that the NCA has no interest in deliberately preventing citizens from also registering their SIM cards. Long queues are also being recorded at the various mobile network service centres across the country as many Ghanaians rush to meet the March 31, 2022 deadline set for re-registering the SIM

cards. The situation has also led to many people raising concerns about the process. Some have requested for an extension of the March 2022 deadline over fears that the slow pace of the process will prevent many people from being registered. According to Nana Defie Badu, no one will be deprived of the opportunity to register all

their SIM cards also. For the NCA and the Ministry of Communication, one of the objectives of this exercise isn't to deprive people of using communication service. We also want to make sure that people are using the communication services in a secured manner. We will continue to monitor the process [and] if it gets to the

stage where we have to extend the deadline, we will, because communication access is very critical for our development, she said. Meanwhile, the NCA has also explained that it is necessary for citizens to physically present themselves at various outlets of their mobile network operators to also complete the re-registration

process to prevent fraudulent activities with SIM cards in the country. It has also urged the public to cooperate with the various stakeholders to ensure a smooth process.