‘Foreign-made’ Ghana Covid-19 App very ‘fraudulent’ - Marricke Gane blows alarm with ‘evidence’

Chartered Accountant and independent Presidential candidate Marricke Kofi Gane has said following a thorough assessment of the recently launched Ghana Covid-19 App, he has gathered information that establishes the App as fraudulent.

According to him, the App is a knock-off that could have been better designed by a Ghanaian App developer, revealing that one of the foreign companies behind the app, per his search, was incorporated on 9th March 2020.

“If it was intended to just let people know their status, then it is OK. But if it is to gather data for Surveillance and Tracing, then sadly, we just defrauded Ghanaian Coders who could have done a much better Job.” He wrote.

“This is a very very simple App. It could have been developed by Ghanaian developers – to retain cash in the economy and grow local expertise. Especially in these times”, adding that “the fact that it was awarded to non-Ghanaians for me, makes this a Fraud.”

“iQuent Technologies happens to be a UK software company registered in tax haven, Jersey. I searched for “Ascend Digital Solutions” – it brought up 2 companies. One is a Digital marketing company, with a Facebook page and a non-functional website address. I doubt if it is this one, by virtue of the nature of their business. The search also yielded another interesting British Company called “Ascend Digital Solutions Limited” – a company formed on 9th March 2020, by a 28yo and is a Software / IT consulting company. Why weren’t Ghanaians partnered on this and how much were these paid for the App”

Read his full statement below:

THE GHANA COVID-19 APP – SOME FINDINGS

Yesterday I downloaded the Ghana COVID App briefly. I entered my details to check my Coronavirus Status – it came out LOW RISK. I went further to carry out a User-test of it. I offer here my findings:

(1) The App first asks you to turn on your GPS Location Tracker. In fact the Terms of Condition require you to turn it on, or else the App won’t function well. My guess is that, this info allows the App to record your initial location when you take the test, so that if you are High Risk, they automatically know the locality to start contact tracing from. Sadly, even when you turn OFF the GPS, the App still allows you to use it – maybe to at least allow you to know your COVID status. But for surveillance and tracing, we lose out on knowing locations.

(2).Sadly, IF you enter any set of numbers – the APP accepts it as a phone number insofar as it is more than 4 digits. IF you enter any email at all, it accepts it as valid – which defeats the purpose, should Govt NEED to contact or trace high risk citizens. Can we use formatting codes to at least ensure phone numbers have Ghana Mobile number formats. Ideally for emails too.

(3) At the end of using the App, a button is available to “SHARE APP” with others. This in my estimation, is to make the App go viral – that share button DOESN’T WORK. This should have been seen at Beta Testing.



(4) “Do you have a fever” is one of the Symptom questions. If a respondent hasn’t had a fever before, s/he may not know what this feels like. I advise we add indicators in brackets like High temperature, headache, chills etc

For the next 4 tests, my constant parameters I selected are – residing in Greater Accra (epicenter), 45years, Male, none smoker, no heart or lung diseases:

(5) Four Key symptom assessment questions are asked – do you have a fever? Are you coughing? Do you have shortness of breath? and do you have a loss of taste or smell? I selected having a SHORTNESS of breath and a COUGH and having CONTACTED someone suspected of having Coronavirus. The result from the App was – LOW RISK – (I had imagined residing in epicenter Greater Accra, making contact with a COVID person plus 2 out of 4 symptoms, would result in some Medium Risk at least).

(6) Next, I selected having a FEVER, having a loss of SMELL, having a COUGH and NO CONTACT with someone suspected of Coronavirus. My result – HIGH RISK

(7) Who designed the App? IQuent Technologies and Ascend Digital Solutions? Well here are my thoughts. This is a very very simple App. It could have been developed by Ghanaian developers – to retain cash in the economy and grow local expertise. Especially in these times. The fact that it was awarded to non-Ghanaians for me, makes this a Fraud. iQuent Technologies happens to be a UK software company registered in tax haven, Jersey. I searched for “Ascend Digital Solutions” – it brought up 2 companies. One is a Digital marketing company, with a Facebook page and a non-functional website address. I doubt if it is this one, by virtue of the nature of their business. The search also yielded another interesting British Company called “Ascend Digital Solutions Limited” – a company formed on 9th March 2020, by a 28yo and is a Software / IT consulting company. Why weren’t Ghanaians partnered on this and how much were these paid for the App?

(8) My biggest concern is one of security – Viruses and Phising are easier done on Apps not on Appstore or Playstore for the simple reason that these stores with well- developed capabilities, do a constant sweep on Apps, for threats that could compromise users. How regular will threat-sweeps be done on this App? Do the developers guarantee that? What happens when updates are needed? Personal Data safety of users who install this is not guaranteed?

If we are going to do this anyway – then let’s get it right, let’s get it done by Ghanaians! If it was intended to just let people know their status, then it is OK. But if it is to gather data for Surveillance and Tracing, then sadly, we just defrauded Ghanaian Coders who could have done a much better Job. Seriously???