Mahama Blames Ursula Owusu–NIA Dispute for SIM Registration Challenges

President John Dramani Mahama has attributed challenges in Ghana’s previous SIM card registration exercise to disagreements between former Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful and the National Identification Authority.

According to Mahama, the lack of coordination between the two institutions disrupted the smooth implementation of the exercise, which relied heavily on collaboration between telecom operators and the national identification system. He explained that the tensions made it difficult to properly integrate SIM registration with the national database.

The President noted that the process required seamless cooperation to ensure accurate verification of mobile subscribers using biometric data. However, the reported clash created gaps in the system, affecting the overall effectiveness of the exercise.

Mahama made these remarks while addressing concerns about the shortcomings of the previous SIM registration initiative. He indicated that the issues prevented the system from fully achieving its objective of creating a reliable and secure database of mobile users.

He also used the opportunity to justify the government’s decision to introduce a new SIM registration exercise aimed at addressing the earlier challenges. According to him, the new approach will focus on improved coordination between institutions and better data integration to ensure credibility and efficiency.

The comments have sparked renewed discussions about the importance of collaboration among state agencies in implementing national digital programmes. Observers say stronger institutional cooperation will be key to ensuring the success of future initiatives involving identity verification and telecommunications regulation in Ghana.

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Source: Thepressradio.com