The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) launched a national SIM card Registration Awareness campaign here Tuesday.
The SIM card registration is aimed at enabling Law Enforcement Agencies to ensure safety and security, as well as allowing the facilitation of reliable financial services from institutions such as banks.
The campaign to run from 07 June to 31 December 2022, will engage the public through activities such as a nationwide roadshow and panel discussions with relevant stakeholders to raise awareness and inform everyone about the SIM Card Registration Conditions issued under the Communications Act of 2009.
Speaking at the launch, CRAN Chief Executive Officer Emelia Nghikembua said the mandatory SIM Registration is not a new concept and is a type of legislation that is used in over 157 countries around the world to effectively regulate the use of telecommunication services and prevent illicit activities (via telecommunication services) that endanger national security or individual safety.
‘The implementation of the aforementioned legislation in Namibia is one step toward harmonising the local telecommunications industry with regional, continental, and international regulations for the sake of integration and protection of national security and individual safety,’ she said.
Nghikembua went on to say that the SIM card Registration Awareness campaign is intended to use the advantages of all communication channels to reach as many people as possible and that it will strive to be as responsive as possible to all stakeholders’ inclusion in this national discourse, adding that SIM card registration and the collaboration of all stakeholders are prerequisites for many potential benefits available through Namibia’s and the world’s telecommunications infrastructure.
‘CRAN welcomes input and responses from all stakeholders in order to make the campaign as inclusive and responsive as possible. We hope that as a result of this awareness campaign, all SIM card users will have a better understanding of the importance and requirements of registering their SIM card,” she stated.
SIM registration, according to Peya Mushelenga, Minister of Information and Communication Technology, stimulates economic growth by making e-government, e-commerce, and financial services more accessible, particularly to those who are frequently excluded from the formalities of a developing economy.
Such inclusion strategies should be implemented by both the government and the private sector in order to provide services that are accessible to people of all income levels, business sizes, and economic sectors, he said.
“I am confident that CRAN and all relevant telecommunication stakeholders are prepared and ready to ensure the effective implementation of legislation that unquestionably is moving Namibia in the right direction toward digitisation, at a time when the protection of a nation and the individual or groups is at the forefront of our time,” he stated.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
