Dr Frank Bannor Slams SIM Card Re-Registration As Wasteful And Unnecessary

Dr. Frank Bannor, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Economic Research and Public Policy (IERPP), criticized the government's new SIM card re-registration plan. He called it fiscally irresponsible and unnecessary.

In a media statement, Dr. Bannor questioned why the government would restart a successful process. He argued that this move wastes taxpayer money.

“The previous government spent millions registering SIM cards nationwide,” he said. “Why should we spend more money on this again?”

He warned that Ghana is facing serious financial constraints. Another nationwide SIM registration could further strain public finances.

“It is financially unwise to waste money on this,” he added. “What do we hope to achieve that wasn’t done before?”

Dr. Bannor urged Parliament to oppose what he sees as wasteful spending. “Parliament must resist this move by the government,” he stressed.

He likened the initiative to a “create, loot, and share scheme.” He believes technology could address any issues without discarding past efforts.

His comments followed an announcement from Minister Samuel Nartey George about a new registration exercise starting June 25, 2025.

This announcement has led to significant public backlash in Ghana. Many citizens question the need for repeating an expensive exercise that created a centralized national SIM database just years ago.