The Minister for Communication and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has disclosed that government will on Tuesday, August 2, 2022 launch a SIM card registration app as part of effort to address the challenges bedeviling the exercise.

The self-serve SIM card registration, according to the sector minister will come at a cost of GH5.

Speaking at a Press conference on Sunday, 31 August 2022, Madam Owusu-Ekuful stated that “the SIM card registration app will be ready for commercial launch on Tuesday 2nd August which will enable you to register yourself at the privacy of your home without having to queue or go to any network operator. Each registration via the app will be subject to a fine of GH5 surcharge, you will pay GH5 to register yourself on the SIM registration app”.

The introduction of the online registration exercise, she says, follows a consultation with various stakeholders for a smooth registration process.

The SIM card registration exercise which commenced on October 1, 2021 has been marred with several challenges including long queues at network providing centers, preventing a great number of citizens from partaking in the exercise.

With the Ghana card being the sole identification document used for the SIM card registration exercise nationwide, some Ghanaians have not been able to register their cards due to the non-issuance of cards and card collection.

The Minister for Communication also ascribed the security situation in Bawku as another challenge bedeviling the exercise.

Meanwhile, the deadline for SIM cards registration have been extended to September 30, 2022.

“I have very reluctantly decided to grant a final conditional extension. The programme will be extended to 30th September to end on the anniversary of its commencement. That will give us one full year of SIM registration.”

Source: The Independent Ghana