Ghana to launch national emergency code numbers

The Ghana government is to launch a national emergency code, similar to the existing 911 to make for easy access to the relevant authorities during crime emergency, medical emergency and all other emergencies.

The move is to enable members of the public who are found wanting in any situation to call for immediate assistance.

Communications Minister, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in an interview on the sidelines of the ongoing World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly (WTSA-12) in Dubai.

He made reference to the recent Melcom disaster in Accra, which he said was a wake up call for all to ensure that the use of mobile phones become part of human endeavors.

“Recent development in Ghana must awaken everybody to accept that mobile telephony is no more a luxury,” he said.

He recalled how family members communicated with their loved ones and relations and how some of the trapped victims were also able to use their mobile phones to make contacts for the necessary assistance to be extended to them.

Mr Iddrisu said this means that national discovery effort can only be facilitated by ICT.

“It is against this background that I want to assure the nation that nation that the Government remains determined to mainstream ICT in all aspects of our national life”, he said.

Mr Iddrisu said the government is also on course with its e-justice, e-immigration, e-procurement platforms among other similar initiates and said all those platforms should be delivered early next year.

Source: Daily Graphic