SIM Card Registration Exercise Was a Hoax – Communication Minister Sam George Alleges
Ghana’s Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Sam Nartey George has strongly condemned the previous government’s SIM card registration exercise, describing it as a sham and a hoax that misled the public and cost the country millions of cedis.
Speaking during an interview on Joy News, the Ningo Prampram Member of Parliament expressed his frustration with the manner in which the controversial SIM card re-registration was handled under the last administration. According to him, the initiative was not a re-registration exercise, but rather an entirely flawed and misleading process.
It is not re-registration. It is a registration, he clarified. You would be doing a re-registration if there were a registration in the first place. There was a sham. There was a hoax. There was a hoodwinking of Ghanaians—an unfortunate episode in the history of our country.
Sam George stated that critical national laws, including data protection regulations and telecommunications protocols were blatantly ignored during the process. He accused the previous leadership of violating the trust of Ghanaians and misusing public and private resources in the name of digital security.
Ghanaians were told they were registered. Meanwhile, no proper registration was happening. It was irresponsible public governance, to put it lightly, he added.
According to the Minister, the exercise may have cost mobile network operators (MNOs) over GH¢25 million, not counting the government’s own financial involvement. He emphasized that such waste of national resources cannot go unpunished.
When asked about accountability, Sam George revealed that evidence has already been submitted to the Attorney General, and more information is being compiled.
We have sent some information to him, and we’re still building further evidence, he said. The Attorney General is responsible for holding everyone who holds public office accountable.
The Minister stressed that his efforts are driven by a deep sense of responsibility and a vision for a better Ghana.
I sit in this chair today mindful of the fact that tomorrow I won’t be here, and my actions and inactions will be held accountable, he said.
He did not hold back in questioning the integrity and patriotism of those who previously managed the SIM card registration campaign.
Do they understand what it means to be Ghanaian? Do they understand the weight of responsibility that sits on your shoulder when you hold the high office of Minister of State? he asked.
In concluding his passionate critique Sam George labeled the initiative a betrayal of public trust, highlighting the dangers of manipulating digital governance and national identity frameworks.
People must have a certain modicum of respect for Ghanaians,” he stated firmly.
The investigation into the failed registration exercise is still ongoing, and Ghanaians now await the next steps from the Attorney General’s office regarding potential prosecutions or sanctions. As the country continues to move forward in strengthening its digital systems, this revelation serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of transparency, accountability, and lawful governance.