REGISTRATION OF SIM CARDS NOT FOR MISCHEVIOUS PURPOSES-ABED A.BANDIM

Mr.Abed A. Bandim the corporate Affairs Manager of the National Communications Authority has said that the directive by government to all mobile operators to have their subscribers register their SIM cards is not meant for any mischievous purposes as some people believe. He said that rather the exercise will ensure cohesion and also bring development as unscrupulous people will not be able to use the phone to threaten people and also dubiously collect people`s money as it is happening these days. He added that the registration of the SIM cards will also ensure security in society as people can no longer use the phone to commit crimes.
Mr. Bandim said this when he met some official of the Information Services Department and some radio station representatives in the Brong- Ahafo Region at the conference hall of the Brong-Ahafo Regional Co-Coordinating Council in Sunyani on Monday October 4th.The meeting was meant to equip the information Services Department officials and the radio stations with the requisite information to send out to the people on the need to register their SIM cards.
Addressing the participants, Mr. Bandim said the registration of SIM cards as directed by the National communication Authority is ongoing through out the country but there is the need for more education on it especially for those in the rural areas and hence the need to get the information services and the radio stations to carry out more public education in those areas .Mr. Bandim continued that the public education will take place in all regions and districts in the country starting from the Brong-Ahafo Region. He further said that for proper registration, operators should make valid passport, voter’s identity card, National identification card, National Health Insurance card and valid driving license a requirement for registration. He maintained that the situation whereby some operators call people on phone to register them or register them in traffic without recourse to this proper procedure in registering people is unacceptable.
Mr. Bandim ended his speech by reminding Ghanaians that the SIM card registration exercise is compulsory and not optional and that if by the deadline which is 2011 anybody has still not registered his or her SIM card, service on the phone will automaticallyly go off.
Mr. Bandim and his delegation led by the Regional Information Officer, Mr. Seth Aboagye had earlier in the morning called on the Deputy Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister Hon.Eric Opoku who is acting as the Regional Minister in the absence of the substantive Minister in his office. After knowing the mission of the delegation, Hon. Eric Opoku pledged the full support of his outfit and the co-operation of the people of the Brong-Ahafo Region in such an important national exercise.