Coronavirus: Why spend millions on an app when you’re borrowing funds – Dafeamekpor asks

Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor is questioning the rationale behind spending a sum of GHC1.4 on the COVID-19 app when the country is already grappling with funds to sustain the economy.

Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia launched the GH COVID-19 Tracker App on Monday, April 13, 2020, to among other things, help government identify and trace persons who have come into contact with infected persons.

Mr. Dafeamekpor, who has questions to ask about prioritisation of monies spent, took to his social media page to ask.

He sought to know why such an amount was spent on the creation of an app when in fact, only about a day ago, the country secured some $1bn from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) meant to support the country in its effort to combat the Coronavirus.

“Ghc1.4m spent by Bawumia to launch COVID-19 App? When we have actually set up a National Trust Fund to beg for money from individuals and private entities to help us manage the spread of this virus, Bawumia can be this wasteful? We could get 7000 Veronica Buckets with this cash.”, he wrote.

The App is a user friendly and free to download mobile software application powered by the Ministry of Communication.

The application which will be made available on Android and IOS later this week will help track telephone numbers of people who have recently been to certain countries around the world.

The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) will use the information to determine who to provide an extra layer of screening.

The App will also help in checking for COVID-19 symptoms and pertinent risk factors.

It will also answer COVID-19 questions as well as provide digital assistance.

Ghc1.4m spent by Bawumia to launch Covid-19 App? When we have actually set up a National Trust Fund to beg for money from individuals and private entities to help us manage the spread of this virus, Bawumia can be this wasteful? We could get 7000 Veronica Buckets with this cash.

— Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Esq. MP. (@etsedafeamekpor) April 13, 2020