Ghana’s 112 emergency call centre set up by government to enhance emergency response received 1,887,125 prank calls between January 28 and March 16,2020 this year.
Only about 15,801, of the 1,902,926 calls to the centre within the period were real emergency related, the Ministry of Communications has revealed in a statement signed and issued in Accra yesterday by Sandra Frimpong, Communication Specialist to the Ministry.
To this end, the Ministry has resolved to block all prank callers to the emergency number to ensure effective operation of the centre.
“Between January 28, 2020 and March 16, 2020, the 112 emergency call centre recorded a total of 1,902,926. Of this number 1,887,125 were prank related calls with only 15,801 being real emergency related calls. That meant, 99.16 per cent of cases within that period were prank calls,” it stated.
This, according to the Ministry, have impeded real emergency cases from getting through for the needed attention, resulting in many complaints from Ghanaians about their inability to reach the call centre number.
The Ministry said “from March 27, 2020, all prank callers will be blocked to get Ghana’s emergency system to work effectively. It is the most practical way of ensuring that those in need of help, get it.”
As the country intensifies its effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the statement said, the emergency number 112 has been set up to facilitate assistance to all in need.
It urged all citizens to support Ghana’s collective drive to improve emergency response and not to prank 112 as real lives might be in danger, including those who need help to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
The statement said the Ministry would continue to educate people on the need not to prank.
BY TIMES REPORTER