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Understanding deadline aversion: The case of SIM card registration in Namibia

Kibet Tembur
In Namibia, a recent call for citizens to register their SIM cards by a specific deadline has resulted in long queues at service centres after the set date.

This phenomenon can be attributed to several factors, including procrastination, lack of awareness and a tendency to underestimate the consequences of missing deadlines.

One of the primary reasons people tend to procrastinate until the last minute is human nature itself. Many individuals have a tendency to prioritise immediate gratification over long-term benefits, leading them to delay tasks until they become urgent. Moreover, some may simply forget or underestimate the importance of the deadline until it is imminent.

Additionally, there may be a lack of awareness or understanding among citizens regarding the implications of failing to register their SIM cards on time. They may not fully comprehend the legal requirements or the potential consequences of non-compliance.

In Namibia, the regulations concerning SIM card registration are governed by the Communications Act of 2009. Section 70 of this Act mandates that all telecommunications service providers must register their subscribers, including obtaining and verifying their personal information. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in penalties, including the deactivation of SIM cards.

To address the issue of deadline aversion and encourage timely compliance with SIM card registration, several strategies can be implemented.Public awareness campaigns:

Launching educational campaigns to inform citizens about the importance of SIM card registration and the legal consequences of non-compliance can help increase awareness and encourage timely action.

Simplifying the process: Streamlining the registration process by making it more convenient and accessible can reduce barriers to compliance. This could involve setting up additional registration centres, extending operating hours, or introducing online registration options.

Reminders and notifications: Sending out timely reminders and notifications to subscribers well in advance of the deadline can help keep the registration requirement at the forefront of their minds and prompt them to take action sooner rather than later.

Penalties for non-compliance: Enforcing penalties for those who fail to register their SIM cards on time can serve as a deterrent and incentivise timely compliance. However, these penalties should be fair and proportionate to avoid undue hardship on citizens.

By implementing these strategies and raising awareness about the importance of deadline compliance, Namibia can mitigate citizens’ tendency to procrastinate and ensure timely registration of SIM cards, thereby promoting regulatory compliance and enhancing telecommunications security.

**Kibet Tembur is an MBA marketing student and hospitality and tourism personality.

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-07

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Premier League: Fulham 2 vs 1 Brentford Katima Mulilo: 22° | 36° Rundu: 20° | 31° Eenhana: 21° | 31° Oshakati: 21° | 31° Ruacana: 20° | 31° Tsumeb: 19° | 26° Otjiwarongo: 18° | 23° Omaruru: 20° | 32° Windhoek: 17° | 29° Gobabis: 19° | 28° Henties Bay: 16° | 22° Wind speed: 19km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 12:28, High tide: 06:39, Low Tide: 00:56, High tide: 18:52 Swakopmund: 15° | 18° Wind speed: 19km/h, Wind direction: W, Low tide: 12:26, High tide: 06:37, Low Tide: 00:54, High tide: 18:50 Walvis Bay: 15° | 24° Wind speed: 23km/h, Wind direction: W, Low tide: 12:26, High tide: 06:36, Low Tide: 00:54, High tide: 18:49 Rehoboth: 20° | 30° Mariental: 22° | 35° Keetmanshoop: 24° | 36° Aranos: 20° | 34° Lüderitz: 14° | 24° Ariamsvlei: 22° | 36° Oranjemund: 15° | 24° Luanda: 25° | 27° Gaborone: 19° | 27° Lubumbashi: 17° | 33° Mbabane: 13° | 24° Maseru: 12° | 25° Antananarivo: 14° | 30° Lilongwe: 22° | 29° Maputo: 19° | 26° Windhoek: 17° | 29° Cape Town: 17° | 22° Durban: 16° | 23° Johannesburg: 15° | 26° Dar es Salaam: 26° | 31° Lusaka: 20° | 31° Harare: 17° | 30° Currency: GBP to NAD 22.47 | EUR to NAD 18.73 | CNY to NAD 2.43 | USD to NAD 17.37 | DZD to NAD 0.13 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.25 | EGP to NAD 0.34 | KES to NAD 0.13 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.63 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.07 | RUB to NAD 0.18 | INR to NAD 0.21 | USD to DZD 133.29 | USD to AOA 909.05 | USD to BWP 13.4 | USD to EGP 49.25 | USD to KES 129.2 | USD to NGN 1668.91 | USD to ZAR 17.38 | USD to ZMW 26.9 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index Same 0 | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1858.03 Down -1.09% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 14296.93 Down -0.02% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 31045.26 Up +0.82% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 9878.53 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 675.86/OZ UP +0.44% | Copper US$ 4.37/lb UP +3.50% | Zinc US$ 3 086.30/T UP 3.57% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 75.13/BBP DOWN -0.005 | Platinum US$ 986.16/OZ UP +0.19% Sport results: Premier League: Fulham 2 vs 1 Brentford Weather: Katima Mulilo: 22° | 36° Rundu: 20° | 31° Eenhana: 21° | 31° Oshakati: 21° | 31° Ruacana: 20° | 31° Tsumeb: 19° | 26° Otjiwarongo: 18° | 23° Omaruru: 20° | 32° Windhoek: 17° | 29° Gobabis: 19° | 28° Henties Bay: 16° | 22° Wind speed: 19km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 12:28, High tide: 06:39, Low Tide: 00:56, High tide: 18:52 Swakopmund: 15° | 18° Wind speed: 19km/h, Wind direction: W, Low tide: 12:26, High tide: 06:37, Low Tide: 00:54, High tide: 18:50 Walvis Bay: 15° | 24° Wind speed: 23km/h, Wind direction: W, Low tide: 12:26, High tide: 06:36, Low Tide: 00:54, High tide: 18:49 Rehoboth: 20° | 30° Mariental: 22° | 35° Keetmanshoop: 24° | 36° Aranos: 20° | 34° Lüderitz: 14° | 24° Ariamsvlei: 22° | 36° Oranjemund: 15° | 24° Luanda: 25° | 27° Gaborone: 19° | 27° Lubumbashi: 17° | 33° Mbabane: 13° | 24° Maseru: 12° | 25° Antananarivo: 14° | 30° Lilongwe: 22° | 29° Maputo: 19° | 26° Windhoek: 17° | 29° Cape Town: 17° | 22° Durban: 16° | 23° Johannesburg: 15° | 26° Dar es Salaam: 26° | 31° Lusaka: 20° | 31° Harare: 17° | 30° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 22.47 | EUR to NAD 18.73 | CNY to NAD 2.43 | USD to NAD 17.37 | DZD to NAD 0.13 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.25 | EGP to NAD 0.34 | KES to NAD 0.13 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.63 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.07 | RUB to NAD 0.18 | INR to NAD 0.21 | USD to DZD 133.29 | USD to AOA 909.05 | USD to BWP 13.4 | USD to EGP 49.25 | USD to KES 129.2 | USD to NGN 1668.91 | USD to ZAR 17.38 | USD to ZMW 26.9 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index Same 0 | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1858.03 Down -1.09% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 14296.93 Down -0.02% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 31045.26 Up +0.82% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 9878.53 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 675.86/OZ UP +0.44% | Copper US$ 4.37/lb UP +3.50% | Zinc US$ 3 086.30/T UP 3.57% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 75.13/BBP DOWN -0.005 | Platinum US$ 986.16/OZ UP +0.19%