Ghanaians Declare “No Calls Day” Protest Over SIM Cards Re-Registration

A group of aggrieved Ghanaians, calling itself Concerned Mobile Network Subscribers have threatened to boycott phone calls on Tuesday 8th February 2022.

The action codenamed the “No Calls Day boycott” would be the first in a series of national boycotts to protest against the current inhumane process of re-registration of SIM cards.

A statement issued by a group of notable Ghanaians mainly consisting of social commentators, Journalists and some elements of the opposition said:”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.”

It contended that there is no law in Ghana that requires Ghanaian mobile network subscribers to “Re-register” their SIM cards, hence the protest.“Any attempt to impose this on subscribers or block their lines would amount to an infringement of their property rights.” the group said in its statement. 

Below are their Demands

(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.

(III) 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.

The group includes a former Kumbungu Member of Parliament, Ras Mubarak; Dean of UG’s School of Law, Prof. Raymond Atuguba; President and Vice President of IMANI-Africa – Franklin Cudjoe and Kofi Bentil; Private Legal Practitioner, Samson Lardi Anyenini, and Investigative Journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni.

Other members who signed the release are Kofi Kakraba Pratt, Dr. Kwesi Owusu, James Afedo, Selorm Branttie, Francis Kofi Korankye-Sakyi, Akyaaba Addai-Sebo, Kwame Mfodwo and Michael Ofori-Akuffo.