The Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has launched the much anticipated and controversial Tap n’ Go transport service during a ceremony toward Ghana’s ongoing digitalization efforts.
The all-encompassing digital platform according to Vice President is set to revolutionize the country’s transport ecosystem, offering a multi-functional solution to long-standing challenges faced by the public transportation sector.
“This morning in Accra, we took another giant step in our country’s digitalisation journey, when I launched the Tap n’ Go transport service, a multi-functional digital platform for the transport ecosystem of Ghana”
Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia
The Vice President further indicated that the ‘expansive’ Tap n’ Go platform is designed to cater to various modes of transportation, including intra and inter-city bus services, trotro, parcel delivery and tracking, loading taxi services, trains, and an on-demand Uber-like service.
Furthermore, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia strongly asserted that the platform aims to address age-old issues plaguing the public transport sector, ranging from station delays to difficulties in identifying passengers during accidents, corruption with drivers under-declaring their earnings, and challenges in monitoring vehicle activities and financial performance.
According to the Vice President, one of the groundbreaking importance of the platform is its ability to enhance the financial performance of the Metro Mass Transit Limited which has previously experienced a staggering 50% revenue loss annually.
He disclosed that the implementation of Tap n’ Go has plugged the financial leakages among some of the public Transport system in the country.
The Vice President referenced a statement made by the Chief Executive Officer of the of Metro Mass Transit Limited, who according him is on record to have indicated that the company is now generating more revenue from 200 buses than it did from 500 buses prior to the introduction of the platform.
Moreover, The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia disclosed that the comprehensive features of Tap n’ Go also address common issues faced by both passengers and service providers.
He noted that the platform eliminates problems such as difficulty in determining transport fares, receiving counterfeit currencies, varying fares for the same journey, and challenges in obtaining change for passengers.
According to the Vice President, the Tap n’ Go platform also aims to enhance security by reducing the risks associated with carrying cash during transportation, thereby minimizing the incidents of robbery against cars and passengers.
In addition, the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia during his address at the ceremony stressed that the Tap n’ Go is distinct from previous contactless ‘closed-loop payment card systems’ that was introduced by the National Democratic Congress administration under former President John Dramani Mahama.
He noted that unlike the previous initiatives with limited features, the Tap n’ Go is a common platform crafted by young and talented Ghanaians, covering the entire transport sector, both public and private.
The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia thus called on the general public to embrace the Tap n’ Go platform, envisioning a future where every journey is safe, efficient, transparent, and accessible to all.
He stressed that the transformative potential of the Tap n’ Go digital initiative is poised to reshape the landscape of public transportation in Ghana, ushering in a new era of convenience, reliability, and financial sustainability.
Meanwhile, the opposition National Democratic Congress has launched a scathing criticisms against the Vice President for renaming digital platforms which it introduced while in government.
The Deputy Director of IT and Elections, Yayra Koku ahead of the launch of the Tap n’ Go digital platforms strongly argued that the initiative is not new as it was launched in November 2016 by former President John Dramani Mahama for Ayalolo Bus System.
He accused President Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party for deliberatively abandoning the project when it assumed power but now trying to make it look like it is their own initiative.
“On November 25, 2016, President John Dramani Mahama launched the Ayalolo Bus System. To board the bus, you needed a contactless card to pay. Akufo-Addo and Bawumia abandoned the Ayalolo Bus system when they came to Power.
“On Monday, Bawumia will launch the same project with the name ‘Tap & Go’ for Metro Mass Transport and will say It is first thing to happen in Ghana. ‘Such a Trained Talented Liar (TTL) we have as a Vice President. Very DISHONEST”
Yayra Koku
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