Former Communications Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has denied claims that personal tensions between her and former National Identification Authority (NIA) boss Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah undermined Ghana’s SIM card registration exercise. In a statement released on March 20, Owusu-Ekuful dismissed allegations of a feud, stating that she and Attafuah maintained regular communication throughout the 2022-2023 registration initiative.

Professional Collaboration Despite Differences

Owusu-Ekuful said the suggestion that there was a rift between her and Attafuah was “simply not true.” She emphasized that while there may have been disagreements on policy and implementation, these differences did not affect the execution of the SIM registration process.

“At no point did we stop speaking either personally or professionally,” Owusu-Ekuful said, adding that the relationship remained functional and professional throughout the implementation period; the former minister said the exercise was carried out with the necessary coordination between government agencies and private sector parties.

Her comments come after President John Dramani Mahama recently suggested that personal disagreements between Owusu-Ekuful and Attafuah may have contributed to flaws in the SIM registration process. Mahama’s remarks reignited discussions about the challenges that marked the implementation phase of the initiative.

Technical Limitations, Not Personal Conflict, Affected Outcome

Owusu-Ekuful acknowledged that the SIM registration exercise faced technical challenges, particularly in the second stage of verification — she noted that the system could not be directly integrated with the NIA’s biometric database, which caused some delays and inconsistencies in data matching.

“However, this did not derail the overall outcome of the exercise,” she said. According to her. Nearly 30 million SIM cards were successfully linked to Ghana Cards, creating a solid national database that has since been used for various government services and identity verification processes.

A 2025 audit found that more than 80% of facial biometric data matched records held by the NIA, a figure that Owusu-Ekuful said demonstrated the effectiveness of the initiative despite its challenges.

“The problems with the exercise were not due to personal issues or bad blood between institutions,” Owusu-Ekuful said, rejecting claims that interpersonal conflict affected delivery; she emphasized that the challenges were primarily technical and logistical, not rooted in personal disagreements.

Controversial Policy with Lasting Impact

The SIM registration programme. Introduced to enhance national security and reduce fraud, has remained a contentious policy issue, as Critics have pointed to implementation challenges, including long queues at registration centers and technical glitches. Supporters, however, highlight its role in strengthening identity verification systems and reducing the risk of identity theft and fraud in telecommunications.

Owusu-Ekuful urged the current administration to recognize the gains made under the previous exercise rather than dismissing them for political reasons — she argued that the initiative laid the groundwork for a more secure and efficient digital identity system in Ghana.

The former minister called on the government to build on the progress made rather than re-evaluate the entire program from scratch. She said the results of the SIM registration exercise, including the successful linkage of millions of SIM cards to national identity records, should be acknowledged and tapped into for future initiatives.

Analysts have noted that the SIM registration programme remains a key component of Ghana’s digital transformation strategy. Experts argue that while the implementation had its flaws, the overall goal of improving identity verification and reducing fraud has been achieved to a significant extent.

With more than 80% of biometric data matching NIA records, Owusu-Ekuful said the exercise delivered results that should not be overlooked. “The foundation has been laid for more strong identity verification systems,” she said, adding that the government should focus on maintaining and improving this infrastructure rather than questioning the process itself.

The controversy surrounding the SIM registration exercise highlights the challenges of implementing large-scale national policies in a complex political and administrative environment; However, Owusu-Ekuful’s insistence that the process was professionally managed and largely effective suggests that the initiative’s benefits outweigh its shortcomings.