A group of Ghanaian personalities who have identified themselves as the Concerned Mobile Network Subscribers has prompted Ghanaians to avoid all mobile network on Tuesday, 8th February, 2022.
This is a bit of series of protests to hold out against the ongoing SIM card re-registration which they have described as unlawful and harsh.
The campaign labelled, #NoCallsDay will occur from 6 : 00 am to 12 : 00 pm on Tuesday and is expected to be connected by over 7,000 mobile network subscribers who have signed a petition online, against the registration exercise.
The group, which is made up of Members of Parliament, members of Civil Society Organisations ( CSO’s ), media practitioners, and private legal practitioners, before time called on the National Communications Authority (NCA) to end the SIM re-registration exercise.
“Any attempt to impose this [SIM card re-registration] on subscribers or block their lines would amount to an infringement on their property rights”, the group argued.
“Following the failure of the National Communications Authority (NCA) and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to address concerns associated with the legality and chaotic SIM Re-registration Exercise, we the undersigned Concerned Mobile Network Subscribers, and the over 7,000 online petitioners, call upon our fellow countrymen and women to join our campaign for a #NoCallsDay boycott of the MNOs on Tuesday 8th February”.
“On Tuesday, we are appealing to Ghanaians and all mobile network users within Ghana not to make and or receive calls and all associated mobile network activities from 6:00am to 12 midday,” said a release dated February 6th, 2022.
BELOW ARE THEIR DEMAND:
The NCA should immediately withdraw its directive for mobile network customers to re-register their SIM cards by 31st March, 2022.
Appropriate legal framework must be in place for any directives for SIM re-registration to happen.
A demand for the NCA and MNOs to come up with a better and innovative way of re-registering the SIM cards without the current chaotic and inhumane re-registration process we are witnessing up and down the country.
The NCA should direct the MNOs to stop using private phones of employees to collect subscribers’ biometric data.
“Our next line of action after Tuesday 8th February, if the concerns raised above remain, would be a full day’s (6:00am-6:00pm) boycott on Tuesday, 15th February and same every other Tuesday until the appropriate action is taken by the NCA & MNOs.”
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The release was inscribed by Ras Mubarak, James Afedo, Prof. Raymond Atuguba, Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Dr. Kwesi Owusu, Hassan Ayariga, Franklin Cudjoe, Kofi Bentil, Mrs. Mona Quartey, Kofi Kakraba Pratt, Samson Lardy Anyenini and Serlorm Branttie.
Also included; Manasseh Azure Awuni, Francis Kofi Korankye-Sakyi, Nana Kwaku Agyemang, Dr. Godfred Seidu Jassaw, Akyaaba Addai-Sebo, Amma Sarfo-Kantanka, Michael Ofori-Akuffo, Kwame Mfodwo, Sulemana Issifu and Appiah Adomako.