Akufo-Addo era SIM card registration had no legal backing – Sam George

Minister for Communications, Samuel Nartey George, says the SIM re-registration exercise under the previous administration lacked proper legal grounding.

He made the remarks on Saturday during an appearance on The Key Points on TV3 Ghana.

He explained that the 2021–2023 nationwide SIM registration, supervised by former Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, was not supported by a specific legislative instrument governing SIM registration.

According to him, the process was instead anchored on Legislative Instrument 2111, which he argued was not designed for SIM registration but rather for regulating the use of the Ghana Card.

“LI 2111 is not a legislative instrument for SIM registration. It is an instrument that stipulates the use of the Ghana Card, and SIM registration is only one of many functions listed,” he clarified.

The Minister noted that the only proper legislative framework for SIM registration remains a 2010 instrument introduced by Haruna Iddrisu, which allowed multiple forms of identification, including passports, driver’s licenses, and NHIS cards.

He said while the shift toward a single national ID system is appropriate, it must be backed by law.

“I agreed with the move to use the Ghana Card as a unified document, but there must be a legislative instrument to support that transition,” he stated.

Samuel Nartey George revealed that the government has now drafted a new legislative instrument to regulate SIM registration properly, following extensive consultations with industry stakeholders, including the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications.

He disclosed that the draft has undergone four rounds of stakeholder input and is expected to be laid before Parliament when it resumes in May, after final consultations are completed.

Once presented, the proposed instrument will undergo the mandatory 21-day parliamentary review period before taking effect.

The Minister also highlighted practical challenges under the previous system, particularly for foreigners.

He pointed out that requiring only the Ghana Card for SIM registration excludes non-citizens, many of whom are legally permitted to stay in the country for up to 90 days.

This, he argued, has contributed to the emergence of black market SIM registration practices, where individuals register SIM cards on behalf of others.

He indicated that the new legal framework will address such gaps and establish clearer, more inclusive procedures for SIM registration in Ghana.