Policy think tank IMANI-Africa has raised concerns over the government’s decision to undertake another SIM card re-registration exercise, describing it as a continuation of long-standing policy failures rather than a reform.
In a statement, IMANI-Africa argued that Ghana’s fourth SIM re-registration exercise in 15 years reflects a pattern of repeated mistakes, including weak technical systems, poor inter-agency coordination, and a lack of data protection safeguards.
The group said previous exercises were marred by serious operational challenges such as overwhelmed registration centres, unrealistic deadlines, fragmented databases, and low penetration of the Ghana Card at the time.
These issues, it noted, were compounded by controversial enforcement measures, including the temporary deactivation of SIM cards, which disrupted services for millions of users and stalled significant mobile money transactions.
IMANI-Africa highlighted that the 2022 exercise exposed even deeper flaws, particularly around data security and governance.
According to the think tank, there was no clarity on where biometric data was stored, no defined legal responsibility for its protection, and no independent audit mechanisms.
It added that telecom operators collected sensitive data without clear custody rules, while oversight from the Data Protection Commission remained limited.
The policy group attributed the recurring challenges to what it described as “katanomics”, a procurement-driven approach where new registration cycles are initiated not out of technical necessity but to create contracting opportunities.
This, IMANI-Africa argued, removes incentives to fix underlying problems, allowing failures from one exercise to justify the next.
It further cited technical inconsistencies in the 2022 process, including the use of incompatible biometric devices. While telecom operators deployed contactless scanners, the National Identification Authority database relies on contact-based systems, making proper authentication impossible.
A subsequent audit, IMANI noted, found no successful biometric matches in a sample of over two million records.
Despite these concerns, the Minister for Communications, Samuel Nartey George, has described the 2026 exercise as a “final” registration aimed at closing existing gaps.
IMANI-Africa, however, questioned this characterisation, arguing that key legal and technical preconditions, such as clear data custody rules, transparent procurement processes, and effective regulatory oversight, remain unresolved.
The think tank also challenged the need for a full-scale re-registration, noting that the majority of SIM cards have already been linked to the Ghana Card, with a significant portion of identities verified. It argued that the remaining gaps could be addressed through targeted verification rather than a nationwide data recollection exercise.
While acknowledging plans to involve multiple agencies, including the National Communications Authority and the National Identification Authority, IMANI-Africa cautioned that institutional participation alone does not guarantee effective coordination.
It stressed the need for clear, legally binding protocols governing data sharing, accountability, and timelines.
The group also raised concerns about proposed digital registration options, including USSD-based processes, warning that such platforms may not meet the biometric verification standards required for secure identification.
As an alternative, IMANI-Africa proposed a “verify and forget” model, where telecom operators submit user data for validation against the National Identification Authority database without storing biometric information. It said this approach would reduce costs, enhance privacy, and eliminate opportunities for procurement abuse.
The think tank concluded that Ghana must shift from repeated mass registration exercises to a targeted, transparent verification system backed by strong legal safeguards.
It called for the suspension of the current plan, full accountability for previously collected data, and the adoption of a more efficient and privacy-conscious framework.
According to IMANI-Africa, without such reforms, the 2026 exercise risks becoming yet another cycle in a long history of costly and ineffective SIM registration efforts.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com