By Nana Appiah Acquaye, Accra, Ghana
Technology firm Uber has officially launched its taxi app in Ghana’s capital city Accra, making it the 467th city to join Uber’s booming network in Africa. Accra has been identified as one of the economically vibrant hubs on the continent with a thriving urban population of 2.27 million people. Uber believes that, with the accessibility of its services in Accra, city dwellers will have access to efficient transport through the ride-sharing platform.
Uber is celebrating its launch in Accra by providing free rides. Ghanaians can try out the new service by accessing their complimentary rides on the Uber app.
Speaking during the launch in Accra the General Manager for Uber Sub-Saharan Africa, Alon Lits noted that Uber has proven popular across the world’s cities for its provision of affordable, safe and reliable transport. He said through an easy-to-use platform, Uber connects drivers with riders in real time, at the touch of a button.
“With over 4 million people using the streets in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA), there is a clear demand for Uber’s services” he added.
Mr Lits explained that customers simply download the Uber Mobile App and can then go ahead to arrange for a pick up by any of the available Uber drivers.
“You can start the Uber app from anywhere and wait safely for your car to arrive. That means no standing on the street to hail a cab or struggling to find the nearest bus stop late at night. You can easily identify the driver and car coming to pick you up. When a driver accepts your request, you see his or her first name, photo, and license plate number. You can also check whether others have had a good experience with him or her. In addition, the driver can see your first name and rating” he stated.
The General Manager for Uber Sub-Saharan Africa further indicated the availability of a dedicated Incident Response Team to address customers issues with the service and hinted that if a report is receive that a driver or rider has acted dangerously or inappropriately, such driver’s account is suspended, preventing him or her from accessing the platform till investigate are completed.
“Our platform contributes to a broader evolution in global transportation where riders are empowered to access transport on their terms, in a way that is useful to them and sustainable for our cities. We are excited to add to a vibrant, growing economy of Accra to our global network.”
