NCA, MNOs move to improve SIM card registration

Human congestion at some telecommunications centres in Accra as a result of the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card reregistration has eased.

This follows measures introduced by the National Communication Authority (NCA) in collaboration with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).

These are the updating of the reregistration application, deployment of additional registration points, the development and implementation of daily quota and ticketing system for the SIM card reregistration.

Checks by the Ghanaian Times throughout last week showed that the frustration and inconvenience of customers in their bid to complete the second stage of the SIM card re-registration have reduced.

The reporter observed that though many people still visited these centres as early as 6:00am to get their SIM cards reregistered, the queues moved faster than before.

The number of officials had also increased with additional reregistration points created, to facilitate the process.

Some subscribers to various telecommunication networks said the process was better than before as they spent lesser time at service centres.

They indicated that though many people continued to throng the service centres, they were quickly attended to.

Meanwhile, the March 31, 2022deadline by the government to end the SIM re-registration they said, was not feasible, especially because many people were yet to get their Ghana cards.

At the MTN Service Centre, Madina Zongo Junction, Mr Kwasi Omar Asamoah, who had finished reregistration of his SIM card around 9:00am, said the process was swifter than before.

He said he had been there some weeks before without going through due to the crowd at the place and slow network.

At the Vodafone Service Centre at Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Emmanuel Ketarglo, a phone accessories dealer, who was in a queue to get his SIM cards reregistered,  said “it is better now because where I would have been around this time, no one would have told me to go back home. Although I got here 30 minutes ago, it is almost my turn”.

On the March deadline being achievable, he stressed that it was important for the deadline to be extended, indicating that “people are yet to receive their cards.”

Adwoa Siw, at the Darkuman branch of the MTN Service Centre, reiterated the need for extension of time, adding that “though it is better now, the whole exercise was unnecessary, but just a waste of time and resources.”

Prince Boateng, also a subscriber at the MTN Service Centre, at the West Hills Mall, Weija, said that the energy and time invested in the exercise could have been used in something more profiting for the country adding “government could have done better.”

Likewise, at the MTN Service Centre at East Legon, Accra, there were no long queues as people were attended to swiftly.

BY ABIGAIL ARTHUR