The Minister of Communications, Haruna Iddrisu, has disclosed that a mobile number portability policy will be implemented soon to guarantee quality service to subscribers and also allow them the freedom to choose a new mobile service provider without losing their existing number.
According to him, this policy will support the future since it will allow subscribers to change their mobile network provider without having to change their existing number.
“This will guarantee quality service and give consumers a choice,” he stated.
He was assigning reasons as to why the directive that all mobile phone companies should have their clients register chips with them is being delayed.
“It appears to be practically difficult,” he said, apparently realizing that there is the need to be realistic in policy guidelines.
Ghana currently has a teledensity of 67%, reflecting in about 12 million people owning mobile phone chips.
He explained that this may not necessarily reflect in population penetration because of the double SIM ownership. According to Haruna Iddrisu, the influx of mobile phones has brought home the need for more education and a relaxed time-line to make the registration more secure.
“Assuming that you are to do a registration of 10 million subscribers, a deadline of 30days does not appear realistic,” he added.
He said the initiative will also deal with the issue of anonymity, often associated with committing criminal offences.
Many Ghanaians have complained about receiving anonymous text messages, sometimes life threatening or very abusive and insulting messages.
However, he also said it was important to identify who owns a particular chip since the situation was not peculiar to Ghana alone.
“If you go to India and some other countries, SIM cards are registered so that nobody can hide behind an anonymous threat or text message to either commit, or contrive to commit crime.”
Since the country's constitution under Article 18(2) guarantees privacy of correspondence, the Communications Minister assured the public that government will continue to uphold the tenets and provisions of the 1992 constitution.
“This initiative will not interfere in the communication of any Ghanaian person...We have held consultations with the service providers or operators and they appear very cooperative,” he assured.
Though various interest groups have raised numerous objections, the former NDC National Youth Organizer believes the current law is sufficient in implementing the policy.
"I am aware that some persons would want to raise legal issues bordering on intruding privacy, but the National Communications Authority (NCA) would ensure security....The NCA has the power to deal with issues coming up, you don’t necessarily need a new law,” he stated.
According to him, an Accra based legal practitioner, Ace Ankomah, had personally written to him raising objection on this issue, and as a result, the government will respond assuring him that government has no intention to intrude on the private conversation of any individual.
On the contrary, he said if it was necessary, the ministry would go to parliament and ask them to give it a legal backing.
“We should be able to implement it once we have the backing and understanding of the operators and the public (subscribers) in particular,” he stressed.
