Former Head of Linguistics at the University of Ghana, Professor Kofi Agyekum, popularly called "Opanyin Agyekum", has backed Dr. Bawumia's "Tap and Go" initiative but cautions against politicization of it.
According to him, this initiative aimed at improving the transport services and fostering a digital move in the transport sector can be successful only when those in charge execute their responsibilities without engaging in partisan politics.
Opanyin Agyekum was hopeful of the future of the sector should the "Tap and Go" become effective as, he noted, it will facilitate the services that the transport companies provide as well as encourage passengers to board the buses with ease.
He also outlined other benefits of the project but warned this good move will extinguish immediately political opponents decide to fight it in order to bring their party into power or government officials manipulate the system for their personal gains.
"Let's not mix it with party politics...and every person placed in charge of something should think that he/she is not doing it for himself/herself and his/her family but rather doing it for God and country for whatever you do, its consequences await you in the future", he gave this advice while speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show.
Tap and Go
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia launched the Tap and Go transport service in Accra on Monday, February 19 at the Head Office of Metro Mass Limited which becomes the first intra and inter-city public transport service onboard the unique digital platform.
The Tap and Go transport service is a digital platform for multiple public transport services including a digital card preloaded with cash which can be used to pay transport fare by tapping the card on a fixed machine on a bus or rail.
It also has a virtual card option on mobile phones which can be selected through the Tap and Go app for those who don’t wish to use the physical card.
“It is a momentous occasion in our journey towards a more efficient and digitally empowered transportation system.”
“Ghana’s public transport system is faced with several challenges. Notably, delays at stations, inability to identify passengers in case of accidents, corruption with drivers under declaring their earnings, inability to effectively monitor vehicle activities and financial performance of vehicles, lack of access to credit due to inability of banks to verify the revenue performance of vehicles, difficulty in getting the exact amounts to pay transport fares, receiving fake currencies, different fares for the same journey, difficulty of getting change for passengers and of course robbery against cars and passengers, due to cash being carried around”, Dr. Bawumia said, adding “government, in collaboration with the private sector, therefore, developed the Tap and Go Transport Service, to address the above problems and to help formalize the informal transport sector, with the help of a well structured and tested technology”.
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