How the National Digital Property Address System works

The much- anticipated National Digital Property Address System, which is expected to make it easier for locations to be found across the country and boost emergency service delivery, has been launched in Accra.

Vokacom, a Ghanaian information technology firm, designed the system and is partnering the Ghana Post Company Limited to roll it out, with the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) expected to host the data.

The system

Dubbed the GhanaPostGPS, it is a global addressing system which divides Ghana into grids of 5m x 5m squares and assigns each one a unique address, known as a digital address. With this system, every land and property gets a permanent address.

The system is location-based and it is expected to provide an effective means of providing an address to every location and place in the country, including undeveloped parcels of land, using an information technology application (app).

The app will generate a unique code for every property or location in Ghana with the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) technology.

A national address registry will be imbedded in the system to enable individuals to validate their home and business addresses for easy direction and identification.

How it works

The first step is to visit your app store to download the GhanaPostGPS App for free, from Google Play Store for Android users and Apple store for IOS users.

Once the app is installed, follow the instructions to register, verify and confirm your login details. After this process, you are ready to use the GhanaPostGPS app.

No payment is required for the download or use of the GhanaPostGPS app.

Generating address

First, ensure that your phone’s location button is turned on. Then open the GhanaPostGPS app and click on the button. Your unique address will appear next to the digital address, for example Digital Address: GA-543-0125.

Accuracy of the address is important. Just below the address code, the accuracy of the address is shown. Always endeavour to have the address within three metres accuracy. It is advised that you stand in front of your property to produce the most accurate address.

Locating properties

To locate a given address, you need to have the GhanaPostGPS app on your phone and the given digital address. Key in the digital address in the search column and click on the search button. Full details of the address will be generated. Then click on the route option below it to navigate to your specified address location.

To find landmarks, type the name of the landmark into the search tab. Then drop downwill appear with options to choose from. Select the required landmark and the digital address will automatically be generated.

Emergency services

To contact emergency services, click on the emergency button on the app. Then select the service you require, that is Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service or Ambulance Service. From there, type in additional information and click on the ‘send location’ button. A pop-up message will ask that you close or continue with the request.

To verify an address, click on the menu button. A menu will appear with a ‘verify your address’ button. Click on the button to verify your address.

Launch

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who launched the digital property address system in Accra on Wednesday, described it as the dawn of a new era when Ghanaians would no longer use landmarks to give directions and locate property.

He said the digital property system would also help transform the economy because of its multi-faceted benefits.

“With this new system, the location of the blue kiosk, the ‘waakye’ seller or the ‘koko’ seller will have an address,” the President said, adding that, “The property addressing system also means that the ‘koko’ seller can now open a bank account.”

President Akufo-Addo said the system would further make access to financial service and credit facilities less cumbersome.