Communication Minister Sam Nartey George has strongly criticized the previous government’s SIM registration exercise, calling it a national fraud. The MP for Ningo Prampram stated that the initiative was a complete waste of both public and private resources and blatantly violated the rights of Ghanaians. “This is not a re-registration; it is a new registration,” he said plainly during an appearance on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday.
“You would be doing a re-registration if there were a registration in the first place. There was a sham. There was a hoax. There was a hoodwinking of Ghanaians. An unfortunate episode in the history of our country.” He did not hold back in his critique of how the exercise was handled. “Irresponsible public governance, to put it lightly,” he said.
“Where Ghanaians were told they were registered. Meanwhile, no registration was happening.” When asked why no one has yet been held responsible, especially given the financial and legal implications of the failed exercise, Sam George made it clear that accountability is on the way. “Early days yet,” he said. “The Attorney General is responsible for holding everyone who holds public office.”
He confirmed that some steps have already been taken. “We have sent some information to him, and we’re still building further evidence and sending it to the Attorney General,” he said. The Minister stressed the importance of leadership accountability, contrasting his own conduct with what he described as the recklessness of his predecessors.
“I sit in this chair today mindful of the fact that tomorrow I won’t be here, and my actions and inactions will be held accountable,” he said. “That’s what those who occupied the seat before appear to be oblivious to.” His tone grew sharper as he questioned the patriotism and integrity of the previous leadership.
“When you look at the brazen nature of their reckless actions, it leaves you asking yourself—do these people love this country to start with?” he asked. “Do they understand what it means to be Ghanaian?”. He continued, “Do they understand the weight of responsibility that sits on your shoulder when you hold the high office of Minister of State?”
Sam George could not hide his disbelief at the damage done between 2021 and 2023. “I cannot, for the life of me, imagine how, today, vested with this responsibility, one would act in such a reckless manner,” he said. “To take the country down the road for two years, claiming that you were doing registration, taking the biometrics of citizens and not cross-managing them well.”
He accused the previous administration of operating in “flagrant disregard of our data protection laws and our service security laws,” adding, “People must have a certain modicum of respect for Ghanaians.” The Minister’s comments are the most direct condemnation yet of the controversial SIM registration campaign. His remarks raise fresh questions about data governance, financial waste, and political accountability in Ghana’s digital transformation efforts.
By: Abubakar Ibrahim
