A group of eminent Ghanaians operating under the Concerned Mobile Network Subscribers have called on Ghanaians to boycott all mobile network services on Tuesday, February 8, 2022.
This comes on the heels of a policy introduced by the government to re-register all SIM cards in the country by the end of March 2022.
That exercise has led to chaotic scenes at some of the centres due in part to the cumbersome nature of the registration exercise.
The group has since described the ongoing re-registration exercise as illegal and inhumane and have outlined a series of campaigns and protests.
Dubbed #NoCallsDay, the campaign to be undertaken by over 7,000 mobile network subscribers who have signed an online petition against the registration exercise is expected to take place from 6:00 am to 12noon on Tuesday.
“Following the failure of the National Communications Authority (NCA) and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to address concerns associated with the legality and chaotic SIM-Re-registration Exercise, we the undersigned Concerned Mobile Network Subscribers, and the over 7,000 online petitioners, call upon our fellow countrymen and women to join our campaign for a #NoCallsDay boycott of the MNOs on Tuesday 8th February 2022.”
“On Tuesday, we are appealing to Ghanaians and all mobile network users within Ghana not to make and or receive calls and all associated mobile network activities from 6:00 am to 12 midday,” the release signed by the group made of Members of Parliament, politicians, members of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) media practitioners, and private legal practitioners said.
Below are their demands:
- The NCA should immediately withdraw its directive for mobile network customers to re-register their SIM cards by 31st March 2022.
- An appropriate legal framework must be in place for any directives for SIM re-registration to happen.
- Demand for the NCA and MNOs to come up with a better and innovative way of re-registering the SIM cards without the current chaotic and inhumane re-registration process we are witnessing up and down the country.
- The NCA should direct the MNOs to stop using the private phones of employees to collect subscribers’ biometric data.
“Our next line of action after Tuesday 8th February, if the concerns raised above remain, would be a full day’s (6:00 am-6:00 pm) boycott on Tuesday, 15th February and same every other Tuesday until the appropriate action is taken by the NCA & MNOs.”
The release was signed by Ras Mubarak, Prof. Raymond Atuguba, Dr Kwesi Owusu, Hassan Ayariga, Franklin Cudjoe, Kofi Bentil, Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Kofi Kakraba Pratt, Mrs Mona Quartey, Samson Lardy Anyenini, James Afedo and Selorm Branttie.
Others include; Francis Kofi Korankye-Sakyi, Manasseh Azure Awuni, Akyaaba Addai-Sebo, Amma Sarfo-Kantanka, Kwame Mfodwo, Michael Ofori – Akuffo, Dr Godfred Seidu Jassaw, Nana Kwaku Agyeman, Appiah Adomako and Sulemana Issifu.
Source: thenewsroomonline