A new car hailing service has been launched in Ghana to create employment opportunities for the youth of the country while giving passengers value for money and at the same time raising money to develop the country’s communities.
The Oman Ghana Baako (OGB) Ride Application is currently for drivers in the Greater Accra region and Kumasi but the promoters have assured that efforts are being done to ensure that the service will soon be extended to other parts of the country for the benefit of the larger citizenship.
It has a mobile application function, a website function as well as a QR Code functions all aimed at making booking easy for passengers.
Chairman of OBG, Alex Nana Appiah, remarked during the launch ceremony at the Accra International Press Center on Thursday that the ride app provides the best quality of services at very affordable cost so that all Ghanaian can enjoy the benefit.
He said OBG is not intended to compete with other digital transport systems in Ghana, rather, as an indigenous app that is intended to give relief to Ghanaians and profit to drivers, especially at this very crucial time when the country is reeling under transport fares due to high petroleum prices in the country.
He emphasized the fact that OGB is a Non-Governmental Organization that does not have profit as its motive but the welfare and happiness of its passengers. “We have a motive to relieve passengers and drivers in Ghana,” he stated, adding that it is their contributions to supporting the development of the country.
He urged the leadership of the country to tap into ideas and resources of Ghanaians in the diaspora because there are many of them out there with several ideas and resources ready to come and help Ghana to develop.
Ghanaians who reside outside the country have solutions to the problems facing the country. Let us reach out to them.
A Board member of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Jermaine Nkrumah, in an address also emphasized that “Ghanaians have what it takes to move Ghana to the next level” and that all they want is to be consulted.
Ghana’s former Deputy Ambassador to China, Dr. Charles Dwamena who was one of the invited guests at the function noted in his remarks that “In fact when we hail Oman Ghana App, we are hailing Ghana and when we take Oman Ghana App, we are making Ghana stronger.”
Country Head for OBG, Joseph Laryea, in demonstrating how the ride works said all customers are automatically granted a 20% off you’re their first ride, and for drivers, OGB will take only 15% which means that 85% will go to the driver. He said the 15% that goes to OBG would be used to help build Ghanaian communities with good roads, portable water, among others.
“Their vision is that, for every community, there has to be an IT center or washrooms or whatever a community needs. One exciting thing about OBG is that we have started getting some youths into farming. At Akontombra, we have bought 100 acres of land for that purpose,” he disclosed.
He urged everyone to download the app to book rides so that the 15% can be used to help build the country.
“It is stress-free when downloading the app and signing on. On Play Store, click on the search button and type “OGB ride”. There is one for passengers and one for drivers. For a driver, it requires your name, phone number, driver’s license, Insurance and car registration number. After that we would crosscheck with DVLA and give approval,” he stated.
By Benedicta Lloyd || ghananewsonline.com.gh