At least one million people have downloaded the Ghana Post GPS address system, the acting Managing Director of Ghana Post Company Limited, Mr James Kwofie has revealed.
According to him, they have also recorded 7.5 million location searches on the app since its launch in October 2017.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Mr. Kwofie disclosed that at least 5,000 properties in Ghana have been tagged with the digital addressing system, adding they have contracted people to “help in the generation of digital addresses of households through door-to-door.”
“We’re happy with the Ghana Post GPS app usage, especially through the National Identification Authority (NIA) registration for the Ghana Card. Most of the mobile money agents have been registered… If we’re able to tap into more homes a lot of emergencies will be addressed,” Mr. Kwofie stated.
The acting MD emphasized the need for Ghanaians to patronize the digital address system since it comes with enormous benefits including the delivery of parcels direct at their homes at affordable cost.
So far over 10,000 items have been delivered using the digital address, he noted.
Mr. Kwofie observed that despite the challenges bedeviling Ghana Post – low revenue, lack of logistics among others – the postal service still managed to grow its revenue by 25% “for the first time since 2012.” He is quite optimistic the figures will double in the next four years.
He said Ghana Post has procured 22 new vehicles to enhance its operations to ensure efficiency as well.
Mr. Kwofie said Ghana Post is investing more into customer service to help change the mindset of Ghanaians, adding it has extended the working hours of its call center to 10pm to serve customers better.
He said his outfit will be investing in more routes while upgrading its software system in tracking items, adding customers can resort to their website to track their parcels.
2018 outlook
Mr. Kwofie said as part of measures to provide effective and efficient postal services in Senior High Schools (SHSs) across the country, Ghana Post intends to tag all SHS buildings with digital addresses.
According to him, the move will make it easier for the company to directly deliver items to students whilst in school, noting that the exercise will cover all schools under the Ghana Education Service (GES).
He said government also intends to harmonize street naming exercises with the digital addressing system. He also noted that Ghana Post will re-launch its local parcel service.
It is also planning to go into e-commerce service in the next couple of months for local and foreign companies, adding it will also add agency banking on some of its premises to make payments of school fees, T-Bills and other services easier.
Ghana Post Company is mandated to undertake services such as the provision of courier services, operate non-banking financial services, undertake agency services on behalf of government and corporate bodies, as well as provide money remittance services through money or postal orders.