US-based Ghanaian Investigative Journalist, Kevin Taylor is asking the Communication Minister, Ursula Owusu what is the state of the COVID-19 tracker the government says it spent GH2million of the taxpayers’ money to develop.
His demand for accountability is coming in the wake of the government’s announcement of outline the successes they have chalked in the management of the Corona Virus pandemic.
If readers can recall, the government of Ghana through the Ministry of Communication in April this year announced it has launched a mobile application to help track person COVID-19 patients come in contact with.
The app was launched by the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to help boost the government’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic in Ghana.
On September 2, 2020, the government has re-launched the GH COVID-19 tracker App
The Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, said at the re-launch of the app on Wednesday that the purpose for the re-launch was because the app had been updated and its efficiency improved.
She said the re-launch had also become necessary following the reopening of the Kotoka International Airport as well as the eased COVID-19 restrictions.
“Today we are here once again to re-launch an upgraded version of the COVID-19symptom tracker, in view of the President’s easing of restrictions on movement and the opening up of the airports to travellers. Our strategy of using a multi-staged COVID-19 recovery plan based on science and data requires the deployment and use of digital technology and innovation to restore every sector of the Ghanaian economy to normalcy,” she said.
Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said the updated tracker app will enable healthcare staff to contact COVID-19 patients and track suspected cases, as well as identify COVID-19 hotpots.
“Under this re-launch platform, healthcare staff will be able to contact patients and track the movements of COVID-19 live cases. The new platform can also alert users on moving out of allowed areas, report case breaches to authorities and push notifications to bulk users amongst others,” she added.
Ursula said the COVID-19 tracker app forms part of measures to leverage technology to fight the spread of the disease.
She added that the new platform is accessible to everyone and not only smartphone users.
But as the government prepares to detail the gains it has chalked in the combating the deadly virus, Mr. Taylor who said Mrs. Ursula Owusu is a potential jail material if government changes due to her role in the Kelni GVG contract with the government is asking the Minister to account for what went into the development of the application to cost the nation Two Million Ghana cedis and if the usage of the application worth that investment.
Currently, Ghana’s covid 19 active cases have further declined to 398, with 46,664 recoveries and 310 deaths.
