The order by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) to telecom operators in the country to begin the registration of all new SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards, did not come to many as a surprise. This is because most  experts have long clamoured for the scheme, which they said would help prevent and fight crime in Nigeria.  Many also say SIM registration will help in addressing the rising rate of crime in Nigeria.

But all these may end up as wishes, as the House of Representatives recently rejected the proposed N6.1 billion proposed for the project amid complaints by members that the amount was outrageous for the exercise, just as it concluded that the task of registering SIM cards be left with the GSM operators. What does this portend for the  nation’s security, at a time when GSM has become the most lethal weapon in the hands of kidnappers? Charles Kumolu reports

FOR five years, he abandoned hawking of snacks on Lagos traffic, for what he feels is a better paying trade. Rather than run after vehicles while selling his products, Ambrose Ogbonna, comfortably sits in a makeshift container that serves as his shop and carry out his sales. And he does not seem to be in a haste to abandon this trade, given its safety and lucrative nature. But that remains his wish and the desire of others in his shoes, as he is now scared that he may go back to hawking snacks again.

Ogbonna, whose shop is located in Festac Town told Vanguard Features,VF that he makes a lot of money from sales of SIM cards, but expressed fears that such  would stop with the proposed SIM card registration, as people may no longer patronize road side vendors.

His fears are based on the fact that with card registration, an unauthorised dealer like him may no longer be in the trade, because he must get security details of every buyer and forward such details to the operating company who must register the details against the SIM card before activating it. And that, Ogbonna cannot guarantee.

“How do you expect people to entrust  details like  name, age, e- passports; corporate, company or work place identity cards that has pension identification /tax numbers; student Identity cards from recognised institutions; drivers license issued by the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC; and e-tax cards to me in this Lagos?” he asked.

While the wish of this sim and recharge card vendor  is that the project ends a failure, government appears bent on going ahead with  it.

Instructively, the Federal Government had in December 2009, announced that with effect from March 1, 2010, all new SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) Cards in Nigeria must be registered before activation.

“The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, in exercise of its regulatory functions as provided for by the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, wishes to inform the ge relevant stakeholders that arrangements have been concluded for the commencement of registration of all SIM card holders in Nigeria. The registration process will include the capture of the photograph and biometrics of the subscriber.

Proxy registration shall be restricted to the direct families of persons seeking registration. The Commission has directed all telecom operating companies to put all necessary arrangements in place for the smooth take off of the exercise,”NCC said.

This implies that all prepay SIM cards would be mandated to have their ownership details registered with the network operators after the period ends, non-registered SIM cards will be shut out

“The SIM card registration is in line with complaints that the Commission  had gotten that  mobile phones are used to aid crimes and government has instructed the Commission to adopt a mode to help stop crime,” NCC noted.
Given the growing rate of GSM fraud in Nigeria, this came as cheering  news to many. But some still foresee numerous hurdles for the exercise, because of divergent views on the N6 billion SIM card registration budget which was  recently rejected by the House of Representatives.

The amount was part of the 2010 budget of  the Nigeria Communication Commission, NCC.

Members of the House had kicked against the budget proposal for SIM card registration, contending that the NCC had no business whatsoever with the task of registering SIM cards, which,  according to the House is the primary responsibility of telecoms service providers.

The House threw out the proposal amid complaints by members that the amount was outrageous for the exercise, as it concluded that the task of registering SIM cards be left with the GSM operators.

That has also increased the debate in most quarters on whether sim card registration should be the responsibility of the federal government or telecom companies.

Jerry Ekesiani, a former second Vice President of Association of Telecoms Operators of Nigeria,ATCON, told VF that tax payers money is not supposed to be used to register sim card for telecom companies.

“Let my view be that of  any reasonable Nigerian. It is not the responsibility of any reasonable regulatory agency in the world. NCC of America cannot use the tax payers’ money to do sim card registration for operators who are making billions of dollars annually as profit. And the Nigerian budget should be that which is supposed to deliver social services to Nigerians.

The sim card registration is for those, who are connected to mobile phones. And it is not every Nigerian that is connected, he noted.

Giving his argument a legal backing, Ekesiani stressed thus: “Besides, the license which NCC gave to every telecom operator in Nigeria,  says that every licencee needs to have a directory of all subscribers. And the Act has made it mandatory that every telecom operator should have a subscriber directory. NCC should not spend N6 billion naira.

And what are they talking about? So many Nigerians have started doing sim card registration. Why should NCC be asking for such an amount of money? It is ridiculous.”

But President of the National Association of Telecom Subscribers (NATCOMS), Mr. Deolu Ogunbanjo cannot be convinced that NCC has no business spending N6.1 billion on the project.

As far as he is concerned, the lawmakers goofed by rejecting the proposal.

That is why he has vowed not to register his sim card, even as he is ready to sue who ever tries to make him register.
“I will not register and if anybody ask me to register, I will take that person to court until they approve sim card registration budget for NCC. It is not a waste of public funds. It is a regulatory issue because you need to register to curb crime and prevent it. It is not an operator driven thing, it is a regulatory issue any where in the world,” Ogubanjo said.

Like a lot of people, who told VF that sim registration is urgently needed to curb the rising crime rate in Nigeria, Ogubanjo’s only grouse with the exercise is the low publicity it has received from inception.

“Six months is inadequate, we should be looking at a minimum of 18 months. For instance, the total population of Ghana is about 22 million while the total subscriber rate is about 11 million and they are looking at 12 to 18 months for registration exercise,” he stated, adding that “the issue of public awareness has been a problem for the project.

They are not educating anybody. They should take a cue from the Central Bank that educates people each time they are introducing new notes. Let them educate Nigerians very well on it.”

Unlike Ogubanjo, who told VF that the House ought not to have thrown out the proposal, Jimson Olufuye, believes that to some extent the lawmakers may be right on their position on the issue.

He noted that it is not out of place for NCC to seek for funds for the exercises, but suggested that the way the amount was presented might be responsible for the House’s response.

In addition, he said, “So  I think it needs to be re- presented. And I may say it is the cost factor. If there is need to cut the cost so that it can be approved, let them do it. It still has to be done. Basically it is under the purview of the NCC, because they are the regulatory agency. In this era of kidnapping and 419, we need all measures that would assist in crime fighting. They need to re-introduce the funding defiantly.”

VF checks however  reveals that not a few are disposed to re-introducing it before the House, given that the average Nigerian believes that service providers are capable of taking care of the process.

“I don’t know why that should be an issue. The lawmakers have done the right thing in the interest of Nigerians, our money should not be spent on what the service providers can do. Although I still believe that the registration is a noble idea because this country is unsecured,”an industry expert, who claimed anonymity told VF.

That was also corroborated by Ekesiani, who queried thus:“Why should NCC be asking for such an amount of money? It is ridiculous. I believe that my friend David Salako  defence of that proposal was not water tight. It is ridiculous and unacceptable. For crying out loud, even before the GSM revolution, NITEL had kept a directory. It has always been a statutory issue. I don’t understand what is going on.”

Continuing he said, “The issue remains that it is not only NCC that should be monitoring it. We also have the SSS, NIA and others. So if NCC is demanding for its own, SSS, DMI and others would demand for their own. It is uncalled for.

The  National Assembly should  throw away the budget. Five billion naira can construct good roads in Nigeria. In South Africa, who did the sim card registration. So many people have been calling us that operators want them to come and register. Yes, it is right to register, I have done my own. People are talking about six billion naira as if it is six million”.