Ursula Owusu challenges Mahama’s claims on SIM registration, says exercise was credible

Ursula Owusu-Ekuful Rebutts Mahama on 2022–2023 SIM Registration Exercise: Affirms Credibility and Legal Compliance

Former Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has issued a robust rebuttal of comments made by former President John Dramani Mahama concerning the 2022–2023 SIM registration exercise in Ghana. In a statement released on March 20, 2026, Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful defended the process, insisting that it was credible, structured, and fully compliant with legal and regulatory frameworks.

The former minister noted that she had refrained from public comment since leaving office but felt compelled to respond after President Mahama, during a tour of the Bono Region, repeated what she described as “falsehoods” regarding the exercise. She clarified that the registration initiative was necessitated by the shortcomings of the previous SIM registration conducted between 2010 and 2011, which lacked robust validation mechanisms to reliably verify subscribers’ identities.

“That earlier process did not have any proper validation system due to the absence of mass identification documentation,” she said. “Honestly, who could confidently say whether those manual verifications were correct or incorrect?”

A Modern, Two-Stage Verification System

Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful highlighted that the 2022–2023 SIM registration was linked to the Ghana Card, incorporating a two-stage verification process. The first stage involved cross-checking Ghana Card details with the National Identification Authority (NIA), while the second stage required biometric data capture, including facial and fingerprint recognition, for each subscriber.

She emphasized that today, every active SIM card in Ghana is linked to a Ghana Card, calling it “an incontrovertible fact” that reflects the credibility and accuracy of the process.

The former minister also addressed claims of institutional friction during the exercise, clarifying that any reported challenges were purely technical in nature rather than personal or administrative disputes. She cited a 2025 audit that confirmed over 80 percent of facial biometrics captured during the exercise matched NIA records, demonstrating the effectiveness and reliability of the registration system.

Strengthening National Identification and Transparency

Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful further noted that the exercise had tangible benefits beyond SIM registration. By linking mobile numbers to Ghana Cards, the initiative encouraged many Ghanaians to obtain national identification, thereby strengthening the integrity of the national database. She also emphasized that the secure SIM registry, hosted by the National Electronic Transactions Authority (NITA), provides a reliable and tamper-proof system that enhances transparency and regulatory oversight.

Criticizing attempts to portray the exercise as politically or operationally meaningless, the former minister argued that even the current government’s policies on SIM registration largely mirror the methods her administration implemented. “The previous exercise was not perfect, but it created a foundation for a credible and secure SIM registration system,” she said.

Call for Recognition and Political Honesty

Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful urged the current administration and political actors to acknowledge past achievements instead of dismissing them for political advantage. She stressed that honesty and consistency in governance are vital for public trust. “The Ghanaian people deserve honesty. They deserve consistency,” she stated.

By highlighting the rigorous structure, legal compliance, and national benefits of the 2022–2023 SIM registration exercise, Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful reaffirmed her administration’s commitment to modernizing Ghana’s telecommunications infrastructure while safeguarding citizens’ identities and national data integrity.

The statement marks a notable intervention in the ongoing debate around mobile registration and national identification in Ghana, reinforcing the importance of evidence-based policies and transparent governance.