“Speed up registration of Sim Cards”

Page 48: Daily Graphic, May 5, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE National Security Secretariat has directed mobile phone operators in the country to speed up the registration of Sim Cards to help identify customers who patronise their services.
“It is unacceptable in these times for anyone to be able to buy a sim card off the streets which cannot be traced to a specific person,” it said.
The acting Director of Public Information of the secretariat, Superintendent David Sena Eklu, said the registration of sim cards would enable the security agencies to identify those who used the technology to commit crimes.
Speaking in an interview on ‘concerns of kidnapping and other serious crimes such as ‘Sakawa’ and advanced fee fraud (419), he said if the mobile phone sim cards sold in Ghana and other countries in the sub-region were registered, the owners or users could be appropriately identified to facilitate investigations.
He said security was a need-driven effort which warranted a continuing analysis of the security situation, as well as of the predisposition of existing institutions to handle any emerging security threats.
“Our analysis of these emerging developments will dictate the required response and, therefore, the training methods, procedures and requisite equipment to deploy. We assure you that the national security agencies are on top of the situation,” he stated.
According to Supt. Eklu, the security challenges that the drilling of oil was likely to pose to the country had been anticipated and had informed policy formulation, including lessons from other oil producing countries such as Nigeria, Cameroun and Equatorial Guinea.
He observed that kidnapping had become a real threat all over the West African sub-region and said Ghana was positioned to address the challenges.
Supt. Eklu, however, said more education in personal security was required to enable the population appreciate the threat to take protective measures.
“We also advise individuals who have reasonable grounds to believe that their personal security is threatened to contact the police immediately,” he entreated the public.