<\/p>\n
The National Communications Authority (NCA) has challenged the basis on which it was sued over directives to block unregistered SIM cards at the end of September.<\/p>\n
The nine people suing the NCA are asking the court to place an injunction on the directive.<\/p>\n
They argued that the Ghana Card, which is solely the identity card needed for registration, has not been made available to millions of people, including themselves.<\/p>\n
But in response to the suit, the NCA has accused the applicants of failing to pick up their Ghana Cards despite the cards being ready.<\/p>\n
The NCA revealed that checks from the National Identification Authority (NIA) show the Ghana Cards of the nine applicants have been ready for some time and awaiting issuance upon the nine availing themselves.<\/p>\n
It, therefore, asked the court to dismiss the injunction application, which it describes as frivolous and bereft of merit.<\/p>\n
SIM card owners in Ghana who have not re-registered their cards started facing punitive actions on Monday, September 5, 2022, ahead of the September 30 deadline.<\/span><\/p>\n Mobile Network Operators began imposing some punitive actions on unregistered SIM cards following a directive from the NCA to compel persons who have Ghana cards but have still not registered their SIM cards to do so.<\/span><\/p>\n The pressure group, the People\u2019s Project, sued<\/b><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the NCA and the Attorney-General (A-G) over the ongoing SIM card re-registration exercise.<\/span><\/p>\n The group is asking the Supreme Court to declare the deadline for registration and the associated punitive measures for non-registration null and void.<\/span><\/p>\n It argues that the punitive measures are unconstitutional.<\/span><\/p>\n The suit follows the NCA\u2019s announcement that unregistered SIM cards will be blocked.<\/span><\/p>\n