By 
The National Communications Authority (NCA) in Ghana has issued a warning regarding the unauthorized leasing or renting of Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs) by certain individuals and entities to both foreigners and nationals within the country.
The NCA has made it clear that such individuals and entities, as well as their operational methods, have not received the Authority’s approval or sanction. This business model falls under the classification of pre-registering SIMs for use, a clear violation of Section 73b (1) of the Electronic Communications (Amendment) Act, 2016. This section stipulates that “A person shall not deal in a pre-registered subscriber identity module or user identity module.”
This unauthorized and illegal practice directly contradicts the primary objective of the SIM Registration Exercise, which is to link a SIM to a verified individual’s identity. This initiative serves as a means to combat criminal activities and maintain the integrity of the SIM database.
Furthermore, the use of this service raises concerns regarding compliance with the Data Protection Act. Users also face potential privacy issues, as a new user of a leased SIM may gain access to data previously associated with the SIM by its former user.
Identity theft is another significant concern associated with the practice of leasing SIMs due to the nature of their usage.
The NCA’s warning underscores the importance of adhering to legal and authorized SIM registration procedures to maintain the security and integrity of telecommunications services in Ghana.
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