Concerned Mobile Network Subscribers kick against ¢5 charge for SIM registration via self-service app

The Concerned Mobile Network Subscribers are protesting against the implementation of the GH¢5 charge to be paid by the public when registering their SIM cards with the self-service SIM registration App.

In a press release, the group criticised the Communications and Digitilisation Minister, who made the announcement on Sunday.

According to them the is charge illegal.

“The Minister has been an MP for some time and should know what ought to be done to impose fees or charges. She has not sought parliamentary approval and has no authority to impose fees or charges without parliamentary approval,” parts of the statement signed by Ras Mubarak read.

The group added that it is disappointing that the Ministry is seeking to charge Ghanaians when many are struggling in the current economic situation.

“Serious governments all over the world are giving their citizens’ relief packages to ease the burden of the recession. We call on her to abandon this insensitive announcement to illegally impose a surcharge of GHC5 on Ghanaians. We the Concerned Mobile Network Subscribers maintain that the dehumanizing nature of the rollout was avoidable.”

This comes after the Minister for Communication and Digitilisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, on Sunday, July 31, announced that a self-service SIM reregistration App will be launched on August 2.

According to her, this App will enable the public re-register their SIM cards in the comfort of their homes without having to queue at any network operator’s office.

Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said that each registration via the App will be subject to a GH¢5 surcharge.

Meanwhile, she also announced that the deadline for reregistration has once again been extended.

The final deadline she said is September 30. This she says should give people adequate time to register all their SIMs.

“That will give us one full year of SIM registration. It will be reviewed at the end of this month and any SIM that has not been fully registered by the end of August will be barred from receiving certain services including voice and data services.”

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful added that “it will also be more expensive to use unregistered SIMs. The full range of punitive measures will be announced at another press briefing in September.”