For the second time this year, the Minister of Communications and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, was compelled to extend the deadline for the national SIM re-registration exercise in the country.
This has become necessary because, as part of the government’s measures to digitalize the country, all SIM card holders are expected to use their Ghana Cards as the primary ID for registering their numbers.
Although this has been challenged by many as a bad move, also because quite a number of people are yet to get their Ghana Cards, the government has been bent on completing what it started.
However, following this latest extension of deadline, and that has been described by Ursula Owusu-Ekuful as something she did “reluctantly,” many public figures have come out to lambast her.
It must be stated too that it is not merely because of the new extension announced by the minister that has gotten so much backlash directed at her: the minister further announced a self-service portal to be created for people to use, at a cost of GH¢5.
Here are four of the people who have descended on the minister:
Sam Nartey George
Being one of the people who have been publicly against the SIM re-registration exercise in the country since it started, the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey George, described as ‘shambolic’ the approach adopted by the Ministry of Communications in the exercise.
Labeling the entire process as a ‘mess’, Sam George said Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the sector minister, must take responsibility for the challenges encountered by the government and Ghanaians.
Reacting to the extension of the deadline for the SIM card re-registration by Ursula Owusu-Ekuful on Sunday, July 31, 2022, the Ranking Member on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communications accused the ministry of setting unattainable deadlines for the registration.
“Ursula Owusu blames everyone but herself for the mess we face today with registration. The deadlines she has given are impractical and poised to fail even before commencement. We are uncertain the robustness of the paid-for app she says would launch 2 days after her deadline has lapsed.
“This is a tragic comedy of poor policy decisions, shambolic implementation plans and a clueless approach to technology roll out.
“Her shambolic public policy implementation would be studied in lecture rooms across the world as how not to implement a public policy," he shared on social media.
Beatrice Annan
A member of the NDC Communications team, Beatrice Annan, is another person who has descended on the minister after her new deadline extension.
Appearing on the Monday, August 1, 2022, edition of Good Morning Ghana, she slammed the Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, over what she says is the minister’s stance on issues regarding the implementation of the mandatory SIM registration.
According to her, the minister should have gone to her son who is now 24 years for some tips on policy implementation as her son could have done a better job.
“I listen to the Minister at the press conference yesterday and I thought that Minister, Ursula Owusu would have gone to her 18-year-old son for some wisdom on policy implementation because by this time the son is 24-year-old. In 2016 he was 18 and 6 years down the line I think he is 24 years. “Because she told us that if all you need to be in government is what the NDC was doing, her 18-year-old son would have done a better job.
“When it comes to policy formulation, implementation and policy synergy policymakers must take their time and listen to feedback,” she said.
Sulemana Braimah
The Executive Director for Media Foundation for West Africa, Sulemana Braimah, charged the Ursula Owusu-Ekuful to show some respect to some Ghanaians with regards to the challenges in the registration of their SIM cards.
In a tweet shared on July 31, 2022, Sulemana Braimah said that showing sympathy and respect to Ghanaians makes her more powerful.
“Madam Minister, just a little respect & sympathy for that old man who travelled from Bolga to Accra, the one who came in a wheelchair from Akim Oda, & the 1000s who endured the needless queues to get their Ghana Card, won't make you powerless, it will rather make you powerful!” he said.
Ras Mubarak
The former Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumbungu constituency, Ras Mubarak, also took a swipe at the Minister for Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, for her style of communication that announced the deadline extension for the SIM registerations.
He stated that her lack of respect for Ghanaians is very annoying and that she should treat Ghanaians with some form of respect whenever she is communicating.
"You are in that office because Ghanaians voted for your party and you will surely be out when your party is out of government again, so why do you arrogantly express yourself whenever you are talking to Ghanaians?" he said.
EA/WA
These four personalities have slammed Ursula Owusu-Ekuful