The National Communications Authority (NCA) has directed the various Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to block outgoing calls and data services of unregistered SIM cards starting today, September 5, 2022.
Per the new directive, outgoing calls and data services for a sequential batch of numbers will be blocked for 2 days weekly on a rotational basis.
“MNOs shall divide the unregistered SIMs into five batches for the purpose of implementing this punitive measure.
“These measures shall exclude blocking of SMS to give defaulting subscribers the opportunity to initiate registration if they so wish. Subscribers who fully register their SIM Cards within the period they have been blocked will only be unblocked by the MNOs after the 48 hours to avoid the MNOs tampering with their systems intermittently,” said the press statement issued by the NCA.
Additionally, the NCA directed the MNOs to configure their systems to facilitate the use of passports for non-resident Ghanaians until December 31, 2022.
“MNOs shall put disconnected SIM Cards in a holding category and current subscribers of these SIM Cards shall be given six (6) months to register their SIM cards, failing which these numbers will be churned by the MNOs.”
The directive given by the NCA form punitive measures put in place by the Authority to force Ghanaians who are reluctant to register their SIM cards to do so.