Ghana Post GPS is safe for users – VOKACOM CEO
Nana Osei Afrifa, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of VOKACOM, the digital addressing system software developers, has debunked assertions that the application software was vulnerable to security interference and that hackers could easily hack into the system to steal users bio-data for mischievous purposes.
Speaking at a media conference in Accra, on Friday, to respond to some criticisms on the Ghana Post Global Positioning System (Ghana Post GPS), he said his company developed the Asaase GPS and that, the Ghana Post GPS is the licensed and customised version of the former, purposely made for Ghana.
He said certain security information could not be shared with the public but assured that the Ghana Post GPS had all the necessary security features to prevent interferences and easy hacking.
He said the Asaase GPS user information and connectivity with security services were the private property of VOKACOM, however, the Government had paid for the Ghana Post GPS back office, the data, the server, connectivity with security services and fire walls, which would host the digital property addressing system.
Nana Afrifa said his outfit was prepared to engage with the Information Technology (IT) Experts who had raised questions about the application and would accept criticisms in good faith, in order to enhance its security features.
Mr James Kwofie, the Managing Director of Ghana Post Company Limited, said the award of the contract to VOKACOM started in April this year through a competitive bidding process.
He said out of 27 applicants, who submitted bids, six were shortlisted for evaluation and that a panel evaluated the bids and sent the commendations to an Entity Tender Committee.
Mr Kwofie added that the Tender Committee also forwarded its report to the Central Tender Review Board of the Ministry of Finance and the Board finally settled on VOKACOM.
He said the Central Tender Review Board signed the contract with VOKACOM, under the supervision of the Attorney-General’s Department after the Finance Ministry had approved the budget for the contract.
Mr Kwofie noted that the VOKACOM bid was the lowest valuated bid among the six shortlisted companies, with the highest bidder quoting GH¢170 million.
He said the cost of the project includes the data solution, the service, licences and physical target of government building, as well as the marketing campaign.
He said the bid for the Ghana Post GPS was awarded at GH¢10 million and that the Valued Added Tax (VAT) alone took GH¢1.7 million from the amount, which went to the government.
The Ghana Post GPS was launched by the government on Wednesday, October 18, 2017, to help Ghanaians or users to locate their property addresses or homes in any part of the country when one signs onto the system.
Since the launch of the software some Ghanaians and Information Technology Experts have criticised the safety of the application, alleging that persons with criminal intent could hack into the system to steal users’ information for mischievous purposes.
Others also alleged that the tendering process for awarding the contract did not go through a competitive bidding process and that VOKACOM won the bid through sole-sourcing.
Source: GNA