Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful The Communications Minister, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has revealed that unlocking mobile devices such as phones and tablets will soon be obsolete in Ghana.
According to her, as part of sanitizing the cyber security space, the National Communications Authority (NCA) will collaborate with telecommunications companies to prevent stolen and secured phones from leaving the country.
"We have authorized the NCA to discipline network cooperators and agents who violate the law and our contract.
"We will begin phase two following the sim re-registration exercise. I've informed NCA that we will examine mobile devices following the sim card inspections. "Since each item has a unique number, there will be a registry of equipment identities," she explained.
The Ablekuma West Member of Parliament indicated that network partners maintain a database containing the unique codes of mobile phones and tablets belonging to their subscribers.
"The subscriber's phone number will be known. When your phone is lost or stolen, you can contact the Central Equipment Identity Registry at the number provided. We'll block the phone number.
"There is a global blacklist and greylist of stolen phones, so we will join the GSMA system so that if you steal anyone's phone or purchase a restricted phone from anywhere in the world, it will not function. "If someone steals a phone here and tries to sell it, it will be useless, just like a book," she explained on Accra's Peace FM.
Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful stated that her ministry has already consulted with all relevant parties.
"This will affect those in the business of unlocking, but we met with them two years ago," she said.
She stated that the apparatus identity register is part of the ministry's effort to clean up Ghana's cyber security system.
The lawmaker added that this will aid in addressing the problem of cell phone burglaries. The minister added that the new initiative will allow subscribers to purchase phone insurance plans from network partners.
She reminded subscribers to re-register their devices to avoid disconnection on May 31, 2023, and encouraged those with 'genuine' concerns about their Ghana cards to visit the National Identification Authority offices.