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Report by Edward FRIMPONG
The National Communication Authority (NCA) has urged all prospective SIM users to follow the approved procedure by using a Ghana card or passport to acquire a SIM for use in Ghana.
In reference to the 73 b(1) of the Electronic Communications (Amendment) Act, 2016 which frowns on leasing or renting of Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs) by some individuals and entities to foreigners and nationals in Ghana, all entities and individuals who are engaged in this business are to cease, desist with immediate effect and shall not deal in a pre-registered subscriber identity module or user identity module.
NCA in a released statement dated 19 September 2023 described this as an authorized and illegal service that violates the objective of the SIM Registration Exercise that seeks to link a SIM to a verified Identity of an individual as a means of curbing criminal activities and maintaining a SIM database with integrity.
“In addition, usage of this source means that compliance with the Data Protection Act cannot be established.Users also run the risk of privacy issues due to the probability that a new user will have access to data that may have been transacted on the SIM previously by the former user.Given the process of usage of these SIMs, identity theft likewise becomes a matter of concern in the renting of SIMs,” the statement added.
“Visiting and resident foreigners, citizens and prospective users are also cautioned against the patronage of the exercise or risk the repercussions as indicated in section 73b(1) of the Electronic Communications (Amendment)Act, 2026,” it said.
As pre-registration of SIMs for use circumvent the Electronic Communications (Amendment) Act, such individuals, entities and their mode of operations have not been sanctioned by the Authority.
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