A new report on Accra indicates that if Ghanaian authorities pay attention to the use of technology, the social and economic status of the capital city can transform, and the transformation could lead to improving lives and bolster Accra’s continues rise to prosperity.
According to a report by IBM published April 11, 2013, titled “A Vision for Smarter Growth: an IBM Smarter Cities Report on Accra, Ghana”, the report noted that “cloud computing, big data and mobile technologies can help transform Accra into a smarter city.”
The report highlighted how the rapidly emerging Accra should turn to technology to transform its key urban systems.
Based on the opinions of local experts from across public and private sectors and civil society, the report identifies city services, transportation, and energy as essential for Accra’s urban reform.
Accra is one of Africa’s fastest emerging cities. According to Mastercard’s African Cities Growth Index, Ghana’s capital city ranked Africa’s top city in terms of economic potential over the next five years.
“As Ghana’s capital, Accra is emerging as one of Africa’s economic success stories.But such growth is not sustainable in the long term if we do not act now to put in place the systems and processes of the future,” Mayor of Accra, Dr Alfred Vanderpujie, was quoted in the report as saying.
Dr Vanderpujie adds, “Technology is clearly one of the fundamental building blocks for creating a smarter and better functioning Accra.”
The IBM report also highlighted how mobile payment systems could help make the process of paying taxes easier for Accra’s residents in the future.
It says “Hosting city services in the cloud would translate to more transparent and cost-effective municipal service delivery and an online platform for cataloging property values could lead to a substantial increase in property tax revenues.”
IBM opined that big data analytics could help city authorities more easily identify cases of tax under payment or fraud.
Accra has experienced significant demographic growth, the city’s population expanded by over one million people – a 35% increase in the past decade, IBM says.
By Ekow Quandzie
Watch what can make Accra smarter
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