You’re unfit to occupy Communications Ministry – Sam George to Ursula Owusu over uninformed directive

Samuel Nartey George, NDC MP, Ningo-Prampram, has stated that Ursula Owusu-Ekuful is unfit to be the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation.

According to him, the Minister unofficially asked Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to curtail some services on SIM cards not completely registered.

He said the Minister’s directive is for the MNOs to block data services for SIMs that have undergone the first stage of the two-staged registration process but are not done with the second stage.

Ursula Owusu’s decision, Sam George said is uninformed and must be reversed.

The Member of the Communications Committee noted the Minister who is also the MP for Ablekuma West does not understand the industry she leads.

Ursula Owusu-Ekuful had earlier hinted at possible sanctions for persons who have deliberately refused to take part in the SIM re-registration exercise.

Speaking to the media after a Technology Breakfast Meeting earlier this month, the Minister said, “we all need to ensure that we protect the systems that we are putting in place. This is one aspect of it, but the SIM re-registration is also another aspect of it. There are some who have genuine concerns, and we are working with the NIA to [address them].

“But there are others who have the Ghana cards but have not completed the process. So clearly, either they do not intend to, or are unwilling to, so we will have some measures to announce in due course soon.”

But in a Facebook post, Sam George wrote, “I have noted with renewed concern your ‘unofficial’, uninformed and retrogressive ‘directive’ to MNOs to deactivate data services on SIMs that have done stage 1 registration but not completed stage 2 registration.”

“I refer to the ‘directive’ as ‘unofficial’ because you have refused to write a letter either from the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation Ghana or the National Communications Authority Ghana to the Telecommunications Companies. You expect them to carry out your uninformed fiat by way of a press statement or Facebook post of yours? Really? Is that what you have reduced the distinguished office of Minister of Communications to? The same office occupied by Edward Salia, Spio-Garbah, John Mahama, Mike Ocquaye, Albert Kan-Dapaah, Haruna Iddrisu and Omane Boamah? Jesus Christ of Nazareth!” he added.

Sam George continued: “This policy position is not just uninformed but shows you are clearly unfit for the office you occupy. What is the basis for your general conclusion on all who have not completed stage 2 registration? That they are recalcitrant? That is the most unintelligent reasoning I have heard in your rather unimpressive stint as Minister.

“There are individuals who have completed stage 1 registration but misplaced their Ghana Cards before being able to complete stage 2 at a Telco Office. These persons have had to go and apply for replacement cards at the NIA. The challenges with that process are not new to any rational mind.

“Another group of persons who have completed the stage 1 but not stage 2 are those whose card have been unreadable when they have gone to the Telco offices. These persons have had to go back to the NIA and apply for replacements. How you as Minister can conclude that these citizens, many of whom have been frustrated by the cumbersome process you have chosen, are recalcitrant and so should be punished beats logical thinking.”

“If you are convinced your directive is grounded in law and can stand scrutiny, why are you refusing to officially write to the MNOs? That has always been how directives have been communicated to them. If the MNOs – MTN Ghana, Vodafone Ghana and AirtelTigo Ghana – proceed with this ‘illegal’ directive without any written documentation, they should be prepared to face us, on behalf of the citizens, in Court as we fight for what is right, proper and just.

“For God and Country!” Sam George concluded.

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