Takoradi kidnappings: Phone app to trace taxis introduced to curb menace

A mobile application to trace registered taxis has been developed by Western Regional Minister-designate, Kwabena Okyere Darko as part of efforts to help curb the recent spate of kidnappings in the region.

Mr Darko made this revelation when he appeared before Parliament’s Vetting Committee Thursday.

According to him, the app will enable residents verify which commercial vehicles are safe to board and which are not.

By dialling *711*333#, he said, individuals will know if or not a taxi has been registered before they board. This he explained will help eliminate unregistered vehicles in the system while simultaneously keeping track of which vehicles are being boarded at any given time.

With this, drivers can be traced in case of any eventualities and subsequently, the rate of crime and kidnappings will massively be reduced.

His revelation comes on the back of recent kidnappings that have occurred in the Western Region.

Three girls have been missing since August and December last year and they are yet to be found even though their families have paid varying amounts of money to the kidnappers as ransom.

Meanwhile, Mr Darko assured that the security agencies are still massively working towards finding these girls.

He also assured that the app will subsequently be extended to other regions after it's introduced to the appropriate authorities and consultation is done to help deal with crime nationwide.