Ask for directions in Accra and you may hear: “When you pass the big mango tree, turn left at the blue kiosk, then ask for Auntie Ama’s house.” For many people, that is still how addresses work.
Many streets in Ghana have no names or signs, and many houses have no numbers. This makes deliveries, emergency services, banking and planning difficult. In October 2017, the government launched GhanaPostGPS to change that.
How it works
GhanaPostGPS is a mobile app that divides the country into small squares, each about five metres by five metres, and gives each square a unique code. A digital address consists of a region code, a district code and a unique number, such as GA-123-4567 for a location in Greater Accra. Users open the app, stand at their location and generate their address.
Where it is used
The digital address has become a required field on many forms, including bank account applications, some government services and registration documents. Delivery companies and ride-hailing drivers sometimes use it.
Controversy
The system was developed by a private company, Vokacom, for Ghana Post. Critics questioned the cost of the project and whether similar free global systems already existed. Supporters said a national system under Ghana’s control was important.
Challenges
Many Ghanaians do not know their digital address or use it rarely. Some delivery drivers still call customers for directions based on landmarks. The system also depends on smartphones and mobile data.
Ghana Post
Ghana Post, the state postal company, has struggled as letters have declined. Many businesses and families still use post office boxes, and the digital address system was part of an effort to give the company a modern role in logistics and deliveries.
Street naming
Alongside digital addressing, local assemblies have carried out street naming and property numbering exercises, placing signs in many neighbourhoods. Progress has been uneven, and signs are sometimes stolen or damaged.
Why addresses matter
Addresses help ambulances, fire services and police find people quickly. They support business, credit and tax collection, and they give people a formal identity for their home.
How to get yours
Download the GhanaPostGPS app, allow location access, stand at the entrance of your home or business and generate your address. Write it down and share it with family and delivery services.
Accra’s landmarks will not disappear. The mango tree and the blue kiosk will keep guiding visitors, even when the app offers a code.
