Group declares “no calls day” on 8 February over SIM card registration frustrations

A group calling itself the Concerned Mobile Network Subscribers has called on the National Communications Authority (NCA) to immediately halt the ongoing SIM card re-registration exercise in Ghana.

A statement issued by the group and signed by some prominent Ghanaians including Prof Raymond Atuguba on Thursday (13 January) said failure on the part of the NCA to halt the exercise will lead to a series of planned boycott beginning with what they describe as “No Calls Day” boycott on 8 February.

“We, the undersigned Concerned Mobile Network Subscribers, having consulted Ghanaians across the country, have set aside Tuesday 8th February 2022 as a “No Calls Day.”  On that day, we call on all Ghanaians not to make or receive phone calls as a way of registering our disquiet about the circus surrounding the SIM card re-registration exercise,” the statement said.

“If the NCA and the MNOs fail to heed these demands, we shall, starting Tuesday, 8th February 2022 begin the first of a series of planned boycotts until the rights of customers to be treated with dignity are respected.

“The No Calls Day boycott on 8th February, would be the first in a series of national boycotts to protest against the current inhumane process of re-registration of SIM cards,” it added.

The group insists the exercise is a violation of the rights of subscribers, adding that there are no laws requiring subscribers to re-register their SIM cards.

“There is no law in Ghana that requires Ghanaian mobile network subscribers to “Re-register” their SIM cards.”

Below is the full statement

GHANAIANS TO BOYCOTT MOBILE PHONE NETWORKS

We, the undersigned Concerned Mobile Network Subscribers, having consulted Ghanaians across the country, have set aside Tuesday 8th February 2022 as a “No Calls Day.”  On that day, we call on all Ghanaians not to make or receive phone calls as a way of registering our disquiet about the circus surrounding the SIM card re-registration exercise.

The No Calls Day boycott on 8th February, would be the first in a series of national boycotts to protest against the current inhumane process of re-registration of SIM cards.

There is no law in Ghana that requires Ghanaian mobile network subscribers to “Re-register” their SIM cards.

Any attempt to impose this on subscribers or block their lines would amount to an infringement of their property rights.

Our demands are as follows:

(I) The National Communication Authority (NCA) should immediately withdraw its directive for mobile network customers to re-register their SIM cards by 31st March 2022.

(II) When the appropriate legal framework is in place, a re-registration exercise can be done without having subscribers spend productive hours and several days in long queues in the midst of a ravaging Covid-19 pandemic.

(II) There’s understandably a need to eliminate crime. But the fight against criminals must be within the law. We therefore demand that the NCA and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) must come up with a better and innovative way of re-registering the SIM cards by first amending existing law; and secondly to do so without the current inhumane re-registration process we are witnessing.

If the NCA and the MNOs fail to heed these demands, we shall, starting Tuesday, 8th February 2022 begin the first of a series of planned boycotts until the rights of customers to be treated with dignity are respected.

Signed:

Mr. Ras Mubarak

Prof. Raymond Atuguba

Mr. Kofi Bentsil

Mr. Franklin Cudjoe

Mr. Kofi Kakraba Pratt

Dr. Kwesi Owusu

Mr. James Afedo

Mr. Selorm Branttie

Mr. Francis Kofi Korankye-Sakyi

Mr. Samson Lardy Anyenini

Mr. Manasseh Azure Awuni

Akyaaba Addai – Sebo

Mr Kwame Mfodwo

Mr Michael Ofori – Akuffo