4 Weeks of ‘No ID No Cashout’: Matters arising and FAQs

Earlier this month, on the 2nd of April, 2021, MTN Ghana began enforcing the No ID No Cashout directive as part of steps being taken toward combatting the Mobile Money fraud menace.

In the directive, MoMo customers were instructed to provide a valid national ID as a way of proving ownership of the account they intend to make a cash withdrawal from — every time they go to the MoMo agent.

The directive encountered some resistance in the first week of its implementation; most of which was as a result of misunderstanding by MoMo customers as well as some of the Mobile Money agents.

A month after the No ID No Cashout directive went into force, it seems to have caught on with customers as people are now a lot more accepting of the need to carry along a form of ID in order to complete cashout transactions.

This article would highlight some observations as well as answer some important questions that people may still need answers for.

Why ‘No ID No Cashout’ is important

Although a lot more customers are warming up to the idea of keeping a valid national ID on their person for this purpose, there’s still work to be done — to make a case for why the directive is necessary and good for all to comply with — and here’s why.

In times past, there have been several instances where agents were picked up by security personnel acting on the reports filed by customers who have forgotten that they made a transfer or withdrawal earlier. Sometimes agents get arrested wrongfully, simply because they assisted a customer in making a funds transfer, only for the customer to forget something of the sort ever happened.

Aside that, this directive is intended to protect the customer from having his or her account emptied by an unauthorized person. People have opined that if someone knows your MoMo PIN they can easily escape the No ID No Cashout directive by just transferring the funds to their own account. This is the point. In such cases, you can request a statement on your account and see where your money went.

It would be harder for you to track transactions when funds were withdrawn from the Mobile Money agent as it’d be a longer process.

The No ID No Cashout directive is aimed at keeping your money safe and depriving unauthorized persons of options and chances to take hold of your money.

Some FAQs and Answers

Do I need to present the ID I registered my account with at all cost?

No. If you registered your MoMo account 10 years ago, for example, it is likely that the ID you used has expired and is no longer valid today. So all you need is a form of national ID that is still valid.

Do agents have to write down the ID number in a ledger or records book?

No. Agents are only required to enter your ID number on their MoMo phone so it’s keyed into the system. Anything other than that is unauthorized and you have the right to stop the agent or in extreme cases, report them to MTN for action to be taken.

Some agents are not accepting the new (2020) Voters ID. Are they right?

Again, no. The new Voters ID is very valid and is sanctioned by MTN to be accepted by all Mobile Money agents.

In case I forget my ID, can I send money to the MoMo agent’s personal account so they give me cash?

No. That is not advisable. MoMo agents who accept that are doing so at their own risk, as well as yours.

To conclude…

One month after the No ID No Cashout directive was brought into force, a lot of people seem to be catching on to the idea. Mobile Money agents I’ve visited within this period have insisted on me presenting my ID before any cashout transaction can take place. That is good news as the agents will be important in the success or otherwise of this directive.

… … …

This article about the ‘No ID No Cashout‘ directive is part of a series JBKlutse.com is developing to educate the public about MTN’s ID directive for MoMo withdrawals.

To add to this article or start a conversation, join our forum to share your opinions with other readers. For stories of this sort and more, do well to log on to www.jbklutse.com or visit us on Facebook.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/mtn-no-id-no-cashout-faqs/

Abuse of social media by Ghanaian youth: A case of Akwapem Poloo

Rosemond Brown is a Ghanaian actress and social media personality who goes by the name Akwapem Poloo. On her son’s birthday on June 30, 2021, she posted a nude picture of herself while with her son. This gesture raised concerns by many Ghanaians who described the act as domestic violence. The Director of Child Rights International Ghana, Bright Appiah, who couldn’t let the matter slide, pressed charges against Akuapem Poloo.

After the complainant petitioned the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) on the issue, the Social media personality was later convicted on charges of publication of obscene material and domestic violence.

That was the start of the woes of Akwapem Poloo. Her situation depicts exact instances of how notable people misuse social media in this country. Thinking they have attained a celebrity status to do so, most people post disturbing pictures for varied reasons. Sadly, not many people see social media as a powerful tool that can cause positive change in society. The case of George Floyd’s death in America and the EndSars protests in Nigeria, are examples of how social media could advocate for the right causes. Therefore, it is essential that culprits of nude pictures desist from the act, looking beyond traction and popularity.

Akwapem Poloo

Akwapem Poloo got herself on the wrong side of the law when she involved her son. Though she claimed she was ignorant of the effects and posted her picture out of pure intents, ignorance they say is no defence. The 7-year old boy stood in front of her naked mother, top-less with only his pant on, which was of much concern to many.

The message that followed the picture Akwapem Poloo posted was a touching one, and a lot of her fans thought the same, as reported by GhBase at the time. Her only fault, however, was to expose her son in an unruly manner.

People often forget that whatever you put on social media remains there forever, and since it is traceable, it could be used to haunt you down or bring back good memories at a due moment. Social media is a vast space and can be used as pleased, but when, among all the things you could do on the platform, you post nude and semi-nude pictures, that is considered abuse.

Akwapem Poloo posted the picture in June 2020, but in April 2021, she was sentenced to 90 days imprisonment. Her punishment was only to act as a deterrent to the many people engaging in the same thing on various social media platforms.

Many people never got punished when they faltered, and I think Akwapem Poloo was only unlucky not to have escaped the grips of the law. This should serve as a huge lesson to us all, so that the next time you intend to post an unruly picture on social media, you think twice about it.

To add to this article or start a conversation, join our forum to share your opinions with other readers. For stories of this sort and more, do well to log on to www.jbklutse.com or visit us on Facebook.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/misuse-of-social-media-akwapem-poloo/

Multichoice Nigeria announces “Abeg” as BBNaija Season 6 headline sponsor

Abeg, an indigenous mobile app, has been announced by Multichoice Nigeria as the headline sponsor for the Nigerian reality TV show BigBrother Naija (BBNaija) season 6. Abeg is a peer-to-peer social payment network that allows users to submit, request, and receive money easily, pay for products and services effortlessly, and send money to friends and family for free.

It was launched in September 2020 by Piggytech Global Limited, a leading financial technology company.

At the unveiling ceremony of Abeg as the headline sponsor, the Chief Executive Officer of MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe, pointed out that their brands have similar commitments, hence making Abeg the headline sponsors for season 6.

“We are delighted to have Abeg on the BBNaija platform for this sixth season. Our brands’ commitments are very similar: Abeg is a young and innovative fintech business passionate about delivering payment experiences for its customers, just as we are passionate about connecting our customers to stories and experiences that they love. We hope that our new relationship with Abeg will deepen our interaction with our customers and show fans as we prepare for a fantastic season,” John Ugbe, Chief Executive Officer of MultiChoice Nigeria, said.

Organisers of BB Naija Season 6 will reveal the open call auditions in due time.

To add to this article or start a conversation, join our forum to share your opinions with other readers. For stories of this sort and more, do well to log on to www.jbklutse.com or visit us on Facebook.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/bbnaija-season-6-sponsor-abeg/

Cryptocurrency: Binance set to launch NFT marketplace in June 2021

Binance, the world’s leading blockchain ecosystem and cryptocurrency infrastructure provider, has announced its plans to launch an NFT marketplace in June this year.

In announcing the decision to launch the NFT market place, the company gave a list of what customers should expect. It says there will be a packed lineup of premier exhibitions and NFT collaborations, along with Binance’s industry-best liquidity—all with minimal fees for users and creators.

The company also said that it aims to create the most compelling metaverse with one-of-a-kind offerings and exclusive collaborations, paired with a seamlessly designed and intuitive digital platform to bring together artists, creators and crypto enthusiasts from around the world.

Binance NFT will share the same account system as Binance.com, allowing users to access the marketplace alongside other ecosystem offerings. Helen Hai, Head of Binance NFT, said:

“Our aim is to provide the largest NFT trading platform in the world with the best minting, buying and exchanging experience by leveraging the fastest and cheapest solutions powered by Binance blockchain infrastructure and community.”

Since it serves many users, it is expected that the new NFT marketplace will be accessible to all these users with lower fees that will also be beneficial to small value creators. New users would have to register on Binance.com to create or trade on the Binance NFT platform.

For curated “Premium Event” collections, artists receive 90% of profits from sales, setting a new benchmark for NFT rewards.

Users can also deposit their NFTs to the “Trading Market” and choose to list them for sale or auction at a minimal cost. Binance charges a nominal 1% processing fee — and creators or depositors receive a 1% royalty payment for all subsequent trades.

CZ” Zhao, CEO of Binance, revealed that the Binance NFT marketplace would support small value creators by providing the highest liquidity and cheapest fees for users. This will be in line with their commitment to building an inclusive ecosystem.

The landing page for the NFT marketplace is already in place, awaiting the launch in June 2021.

To add to this article or start a conversation, join our forum to share your opinions with other readers. For stories of this sort and more, do well to log on to www.jbklutse.com or visit us on Facebook.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/binance-set-to-launch-nft-marketplace/

The importance of automating caption generation

Beyond compliance with ADA guidelines, providing accurate captioning for audio and video content has become essential for those who wish to remain competitive, relevant, and successful in their chosen fields. While people with impaired hearing are the primary basis for the purpose behind captions, they are not the only market for it. In fact, research shows that it benefits everyone, from aiding those who have difficulties understanding the dialect used to help children in learning how to read.

These new trends are supported by the increasing use of captioning in content. From the accessibility, engagement, and reach that it offers, it is no longer a mere mandate but a value-added differentiator, especially in highly competitive environments. With that in mind, we’ll talk about why automating caption generation is vital in this article.

Lower costs

Captioning can be a tedious and tiring task. And in the past, the only other alternative to shouldering the responsibility yourself would be to hire the services of professional captioners and transcribers. However, this can cost quite a lot of money, depending on the amount of work that needs to be done. But by automating caption generation, you’ll be able to avoid the labor costs of the job and streamline the process. Not only will it lower your expenditure, but you’ll be able to complete the work in less time than you would have by performing it manually.

Maximizes your productivity

Another reason why automating captioning is a better approach is that it allows you to maintain a consistently high level of productivity. Instead of spending time doing the job manually, you can focus your efforts on producing more content instead. And as a result, you’ll optimize your performance and come out with better quality content than you would have if your attention was divided between both tasks. Whether you’re a content creator or a journalist, this can make all the difference in your performance.

More reliable results

Human error can often be an unavoidable reality. No matter how good you are, mistakes can and will be made. However, through automatic captioning software, you’re guaranteed to come out with more reliable and accurate results for your captioning needs. And as the technology behind the automation of captioning continues to evolve, so too will the precision of the process of translating the audio of the content into text.

Improves competitiveness

Due to its popularity, more and more enterprises are making use of automatic captioning software. And if you fail to do the same, not only will you miss out on the advantages that it offers. But more importantly, you’ll lose your audience to your competition.

From any perspective, cost reduction, performance, productivity, and reliability are excellent arguments for adopting an automated solution for captioning generation. That’s not to say that it doesn’t come with its fair share of challenges. But anticipating, understanding, and overcoming the obstacles that it may present, you’ll be able to take advantage of all the benefits of this approach and achieve the intended outcome in turn.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/the-importance-of-automating-caption-generation/

Ghana Garden and Flower Movement collaborates with PUM to develop Ghana’s horticulture industry

The aim of the collaboration between the Ghana Garden and Flower Movement (GGFM) and PUM Netherlands senior experts (PUM) is to further develop Ghana’s horticulture and floriculture industry. To endorse the collaboration, both parties signed a five (5) year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The MoU provides for knowledge sharing and capacity-building by PUM floriculture and enterprise development experts with Ghana’s flower growers on the GGFM platform. The promotion of trade in floriculture materials is also an aspect of the MoU. Activities to be undertaken under the knowledge-sharing component include collaboration with Ghana’s universities about enhancing the skills of flower growers.

PUM has for several years been participating in workshops and conferences for Ghanaian flower growers. This MoU is designed to provide a more structured and sustainable approach to the existing partnership. The Embassy of the Royal Netherlands in Ghana has played a significant role in facilitating this partnership.

The implementation of the MoU is overseen by a Steering Committee and a Project Implementation Team made up as follows: Edwin Witlox, Coordinator of PUM Ghana, Esther A.N. Cobbah, Prof. Daniel Bruce-Sarpong and Mona Asem on the Steering Committee and Bernard Nana Yaw Tufour, Patrick Masoperh, Abui Selormey and Adelaide Pinto of GGFM and Jan Berg van den of PUM on the Project Implementation Team.

Mr Dick Ernste, CEO of PUM, says, ‘PUM has since 1978 been providing support to a variety of individuals and organizations in Ghana and contributing to the development of their enterprises. We are delighted that we can also bring to the country’s floriculture industry the knowledge and experience of PUM’s industry experts to further boost the great work already being done in Ghana’s floriculture industry.

For us at PUM this is an opportunity to live out our commitment to build vibrant SMEs in developing countries and emerging markets and create a positive impact on the economy, environment and society.’

Esther A.N. Cobbah of GGFM, says, The Movement is most delighted that we can create a platform of collaboration between PUM and GGFM as well as Ghanaian floriculture experts to generate even more value from the growing industry for personal, community and national benefit. Together we work to achieve a greener, cleaner, healthier, wealthier, and more beautiful Ghana.

Stratcomm Africa initiated the movement and its signature annual Ghana Garden and Flower Show (GGFS) as a CSR programme employing environmental communication approaches. The signing of this MoU comes after nine years of successfully mobilizing stakeholders in the floriculture industry as part of the effort to grow the industry for environmental, commercial, health and aesthetic purposes. The Movement is now an independent non-profit organization with its own Board.

In the signing ceremony, which took place virtually, the Chief Executive Officer of PUM Mr Dick Ernste, signed in the Netherlands for PUM and Esther A. N. Cobbah, Chairperson of the Advisory Board of the GGFM and CEO of Strategic Communications Africa Ltd (Stratcomm Africa), signed in Ghana for GGFM.

To add to this article or start a conversation, join our forum to share your opinions with other readers. For stories of this sort and more, do well to log on to www.jbklutse.com or visit us on Facebook.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/ghana-garden-and-flower-movement/

vivo Smartphone partners with Jambo Shoppe to increase footprint in the Kenyan market

vivo Smartphone has announced its partnership with Kenya’s online retailer Jambo Shoppe as it aims to increase its footprint in the Kenyan market and provide a secure convenient way for consumers to shop online.

The move aims to provide accessibility of vivo products as consumers now opt for online shopping over physical shopping. According to a Master Card study on consumer spending in February 2021, it revealed that 79 per cent of consumers in Kenya are shopping more online since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the partnership, vivo is now confident that this will increase the visibility of its products to potential customers giving them a wide range of choices that will see them enjoy the best mobile phones at the most affordable prices.

”The Kenyan mobile phone market offers a favourable competitive landscape; with consumers considering online purchasing options, this partnership will give our users a wide range of choice and will see them enjoy the best mobile phones at the most affordable prices as we continue to expand locally.”-  said vivo Kenya Brand Manager Mr James Irungu.

Recently, Jambo shoppe did launch a mobile app for iOS and Android devices which seeks to offer solutions to the rising number of shoppers online. According to Statista, worldwide smartphone users have surpassed three billion and is forecast to further grow – by several hundred million in the next few years with over 2 billion people using it for e-commerce transaction.

“The partnership with vivo today cements our commitment to bring our customers a wide range of choices. Our mission has always been to make it easier for consumers to order products conveniently and securely, thus the App introduction,’’ said Sanjay Pathak, Jambo shoppe Country Head.

Jambo Shoppe is currently retailing the vivo Y12s which was previously launched, vivo V19, vivo Y1s, and vivo Y20. The brand will also retail more vivo products with time. The products can be purchased via https://www.jamboshop.com/brand/Vivo/1736.

To add to this article or start a conversation, join our forum to share your opinions with other readers. For stories of this sort and more, do well to log on to www.jbklutse.com or visit us on Facebook.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/vivo-smartphone-partners-with-jambo-shoppe-kenya/

Best ways to embrace living alone

If you are a person who is trying to set up a house and live alone for the first time, that is perfectly fine. You might feel that you aren’t ready for the new circumstances because maybe you just had a breakup with your partner and your things didn’t go how you’d hoped. But, no matter what you are feeling — confusion, stress, or anything in between — it is perfectly normal to have some turbulence, too.

Living alone doesn’t mean you are lonely. Below are some tips to help you embrace your new way of living, and find fulfilment when living alone.

Get to know yourself better

Living alone can be the perfect time to work on the most important relationship you have – with yourself.

Before living alone, you probably spent a lot of time in the company of others. You focused on maintaining strong bonds with your friends, family, and others, but you didn’t have time to focus on yourself.

You should consider enjoying your free time, eating your favourite food, and enjoy your favourite show on Netflix. But, remember to ask yourself deeper questions. If you just ended a relationship, or you are exploring your goals, try identifying your values. A well-developed sense of yourself can help you identify what you want from relationships. This process can take time but try sorting your thoughts.

Prioritize your valued relationships

When living alone you have the opportunity to analyze your relationships. Back in the time you lived with roommates, they were your friends, but you didn’t get close to them. Or you spent a lot of time hanging with your partner, but you distanced yourself from your friends.

If these are stories that happened to you, try to take some time and identify your most valued relationships. Prioritize the most important ones. You are not supposed to spend your free time with people who make you unhappy.

Identify when you feel most lonely

Even if you are enjoying your solo living, you may feel lonely. These feelings can come stronger when you are around people.

Coming home to an empty house can sometimes be rough. But, that is completely normal. If you are a morning person and when you lived with your roommates, you enjoyed conversations over breakfast, try planning brunch with your loved ones. Or, all you can do is turn on your favourite music.

Spend more time in nature

If you spend more time outside, you don’t just get out of the house but can help you connect to the world while relieving stress. Get your attention to the birdsongs, rustling trees, or running water. This can help you to feel less alone.

Consider a pet

Have you ever wanted a furry companion? Well now is your chance. There is no need to worry, about your sibling’s fear of dos or roommate’s allergies.

If you have a pet, you will never come back to an empty house. Pets offer entertainment and also physical comfort (playing with a dog can release mood-boosting hormones), as many pet videos on Youtube prove.

Sometimes days feel a bit aimless? If you have a pet it would be easier for you to stick to a schedule, as they need regular care and feeding.  In this case, having your pet insured would be a lifesaver (also time saver).

If you need a reason to go out, for a few daily walks a dog will hold you accountable.

Do days feel a little aimless? Having a pet makes it easier to stick to a schedule,

What if you can’t have a dog or a cat? In this case, you could consider a fish, bird, reptile or even a small mammal. They can make great pets, even though they may not be quite as cuddly or sociable. Just before making a decision read up on their care, as some of them need special diets, and some others might have a longer lifespan than you are preparing for.

Try new things

A very important part of self-discovery is exploring new interests.
It is quite hard to experiment in front of an audience. Trying new things in front of your family members, partners or roommates might make you feel nervous about trying new things. What if you don’t have artistic talent? Or find out you don’t enjoy playing violin or guitar after spending a lot of money and time on practicing and lessons.

While all these questions have their own merit, it is worth mentioning that a life without a little failure and trial can be very limited. Doing the same exact things with the same exact people is not necessarily bad. But breaking your routine can immensely expand your perspective, help you connect with new people and overall help you grow.

Prioritize Wellness

When you do not have anyone else to consider, established habits can really start to slip. Maybe you skip nutritious meals in favour of snacks, give up on a regular bedtime, wear the same clothes for 2 days, and finish the whole bottle of wine, because why not?

If these things happen occasionally, it may not be a big deal. But making it a routine and a pattern probably will not do you any kind of favours.

Good self-care practices can improve your physical and emotional well-being. Feeling good will make you more productive and make it easier to manage loneliness.

Try these strategies:

• In order to avoid relying on snacks, set time aside for meal planning and food preparation.
• Find a workout buddy, in case you lack motivation for regular exercise.
  Try meditation to increase your awareness of what is happening to you day today.
• Experiment with wake up and sleep times just to determine what time feels most natural for you.

Find the positives

Most people might not agree, but living alone can be freeing for you. You do not have to get dressed in order to leave your room or to talk to yourself without worrying that someone might think you are crazy.

Living alone can:

• Help you boost your imagination and creativity
• It helps you to find time to recharge
• Lead to personal growth
• Allow you to focus on your hobbies and passions

Conclusion

Even if you prefer living on your own, it is not always easy. You could have moments where you want human interactions, even though you might value your personal space. But do not forget that even if you are living alone, you really are not. Still, your loved ones will be texting, calling you so you can have a chat with them.

To add to this article or start a conversation, join our forum to share your opinions with other readers. For stories of this sort and more, do well to log on to www.jbklutse.com or visit us on Facebook.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/best-ways-to-embrace-living-alone/

Emirates and Dubai Health Authority begin implementing digital verification of COVID-19 medical records for UAE based travellers

Emirates and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) have begun to implement full digital verification of COVID-19 medical records connected to testing and vaccination for travellers based in the UAE.

Emirates customers who have undertaken a PCR test in Dubai can choose to check-in without presenting their physical COVID-19 PCR test report. Moreover, customers who have received their COVID-19 vaccination at a DHA health centre in Dubai can, together with their COVID-19 PCR test results, have their documents synchronised during flight check-in.

The new streamlined verification procedures will enable secure and faster processing times for customers departing from Dubai International Airport. The information will then be matched up with the entry requirements of the destination.

Emirates will only process the relevant information specifically related to the COVID-19 entry requirements of the customer’s destination. Once check-in formalities are completed, information related to COVID-19 medical records will be immediately discarded from the Emirates systems.

The integration comes less than two months after the signing of the MoU between Emirates and the Dubai Health Authority and is a first-of-its-kind agreement between an airline and a government health authority. The integration also makes Dubai one of the first cities in the world to implement full digital verification of traveller medical records related to COVID-19 testing and vaccination.

Adel Al Redha, Chief Operating Officer for Emirates Airline said: “The UAE government has been very supportive and is one of the leading countries in the use of technology and digital applications. This initiative is in line with the government’s vision and we are delighted to take this step within the aviation sector to cooperate with DHA in linking our systems together to enhance the customer experience by processing the relevant documents in a more efficient, secure and effective manner.

Our partnership with the Dubai Health Authority in managing passenger travel is unique and is the first step towards other initiatives that will be launched in the near future. This is a testament to Dubai’s progressive approach in delivering innovative digital solutions across all aspects of services.”

Ahmed Al Nuaimi, CEO of Joint Corporate Support Services at the DHA said: “The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has been strongly foraying into paperless healthcare over the past few years to enhance patient convenience and further improve healthcare delivery. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have deployed and fostered the use of digital healthcare.

The strategic foresight into investing in digital healthcare has paved the way today for such a pioneering integration. This partnership will directly help streamline and make travel easy and convenient as well as ensure validation of all necessary COVID-19 medical records.”

Kleitham Ali Al Shamsi, Director of IT at the Dubai Health Authority highlighted that DHA’s strategic investment and focus on healthcare technology has significant benefits not only in the health sector but also in the travel sector: “This partnership reinforces that technology has the potential to securely, conveniently and effectively assist airlines to receive the verified COVID-19 test results and vaccination records.

From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, DHA has worked tirelessly to connect all the laboratories that process COVID-19 test results in Dubai into DHA’s Outbreak Management system, this integration has been instrumental today to help develop such a unique integration with Emirates Airline.”

Emirates’ collaboration with the Dubai Health Authority is another way to provide customers with a streamlined experience and meet current travel requirements, making travel safe and convenient. Emirates is one of the airlines that has introduced best business practices and applications to reenergize and stimulate international travel.

In the coming months, the next phase of digital verification will see secure integration of health records within the IATA Travel Pass as another option to help facilitate travel for passengers.

Customers who have done PCR testing or vaccinations outside of Dubai will be required to physically provide their travel documents at check-in. Some destination countries require travellers to carry physical documents when travelling. Customers are encouraged to check the latest entry requirements for their destination by visiting: www.emirates.com/help/covid-19/travel-requirements-by-destination/

Emirates and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) have begun to implement full digital verification of COVID-19 medical records connected to testing and vaccination for travellers based in the UAE.

Emirates customers who have undertaken a PCR test in Dubai can choose to check-in without presenting their physical COVID-19 PCR test report. Moreover, customers who have received their COVID-19 vaccination at a DHA health centre in Dubai can, together with their COVID-19 PCR test results, have their documents synchronised during flight check-in.

The new streamlined verification procedures will enable secure and faster processing times for customers departing from Dubai International Airport. The information will then be matched up with the entry requirements of the destination.

Emirates will only process the relevant information specifically related to the COVID-19 entry requirements of the customer’s destination. Once check-in formalities are completed, information related to COVID-19 medical records will be immediately discarded from the Emirates systems.

The integration comes less than two months after the signing of the MoU between Emirates and the Dubai Health Authority and is a first-of-its-kind agreement between an airline and a government health authority. The integration also makes Dubai one of the first cities in the world to implement full digital verification of traveller medical records related to COVID-19 testing and vaccination.

Adel Al Redha, Chief Operating Officer for Emirates Airline said: “The UAE government has been very supportive and is one of the leading countries in the use of technology and digital applications. This initiative is in line with the government’s vision and we are delighted to take this step within the aviation sector to cooperate with DHA in linking our systems together to enhance the customer experience by processing the relevant documents in a more efficient, secure and effective manner.

Our partnership with the Dubai Health Authority in managing passenger travel is unique and is the first step towards other initiatives that will be launched in the near future. This is a testament to Dubai’s progressive approach in delivering innovative digital solutions across all aspects of services.”

Ahmed Al Nuaimi, CEO of Joint Corporate Support Services at the DHA said: “The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has been strongly foraying into paperless healthcare over the past few years to enhance patient convenience and further improve healthcare delivery. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have deployed and fostered the use of digital healthcare. The strategic foresight into investing in digital healthcare has paved the way today for such a pioneering integration. This partnership will directly help streamline and make travel easy and convenient as well as ensure validation of all necessary COVID-19 medical records.”

Kleitham Ali Al Shamsi, Director of IT at the Dubai Health Authority highlighted that DHA’s strategic investment and focus on healthcare technology has significant benefits not only in the health sector but also in the travel sector: “This partnership reinforces that technology has the potential to securely, conveniently and effectively assist airlines to receive the verified COVID-19 test results and vaccination records.

From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, DHA has worked tirelessly to connect all the laboratories that process COVID-19 test results in Dubai into DHA’s Outbreak Management system, this integration has been instrumental today to help develop such a unique integration with Emirates Airline.”

Emirates’ collaboration with the Dubai Health Authority is another way to provide customers with a streamlined experience and meet current travel requirements, making travel safe and convenient. Emirates is one of the airlines that has introduced best business practices and applications to reenergize and stimulate international travel. In the coming months, the next phase of digital verification will see secure integration of health records within the IATA Travel Pass as another option to help facilitate travel for passengers.

Customers who have done PCR testing or vaccinations outside of Dubai will be required to physically provide their travel documents at check-in. Some destination countries require travellers to carry physical documents when travelling. Customers are encouraged to check the latest entry requirements for their destination by visiting: www.emirates.com/help/covid-19/travel-requirements-by-destination/

To add to this article or start a conversation, join our forum to share your opinions with other readers. For stories of this sort and more, do well to log on to www.jbklutse.com or visit us on Facebook.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/emirates-and-dubai-health-authority-covid-19-digital-verification/

Keep the wins coming whilst you wait for your next Bingo game to start

The average online Bingo room will have a spare ten minutes or so between each game – so what’s a player to do whilst they wait? Well, whether you get your Bingo fix at https://bingo.paddypower.com/, or any other popular casino site, there will always be a huge range of other gaming options to entertain you during your downtime.

One of our top recommendations is undoubtedly online scratch cards, reminiscent of the days where you’d have to go down to your local shop to grab your paper tickets to enter the game. Read on as we talk you through some of our favourite online options!

10K Scratch

Play your game big and bold with this high-class scratch card, offering up the chance to win a tantalising 10,000 credits grand prize. Simply scratch off the symbols on the screen, to reveal whatever rewards lay behind them, and the prizes will soon be yours! The symbols range from the following options: dollar signs, four-leaved clovers and wrapped presents.

You’ll get the chance to search for each of these icons as the online scratcher takes you through five mini-games on each round.

Scratch off three matching symbols in a row and you’ll be in for one hell of a treat! Finding a series of nine numbers behind the dollar signs will give you a reasonable payout, whilst three of the regal crowns bagging that huge 10,000 credits.

Scratch off three gold bullions and you can win 1,000, whilst three number sevens offer up 100 credits. You may also scratch and reveal horseshoes, bells and keys as you rub away the top symbols, which may give you smaller, but still beneficial, rewards.

25K Scratch

Take things up a notch with the next instalment of big money scratch cards. Try your luck with all five of the mini-games featured within this one card and you could walk away with up to 25,000 credits. To give you an idea of what’s at stake, let us talk you through what to expect in each of these fun-filled games.

The first game requires you to scratch off and match the two numbers that will appear in circles to the side of your virtual ticket. The circles also dictate the amount you could stand to win – what’s more, scratch off the diamond symbol and your winnings will be doubled!

The second game is fairly simple. If either of the two lines of symbols adds up to seven, then you will win a prize. For the third game, there’s a three-of-a-kind matching symbol round, where the prize will be determined at a corresponding paytable. The fourth game asks you to match up three prize pots of the same value across the 3×3 board, offering out an instant win.

Lastly, the fifth and final game comes in the form of a bonus round where you must scratch off any square to revel one of three possible prizes – either cash, free cards or a multiplier. So, as you can see, it’s all to play for with this five-game (in one) online scratch card.

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source https://www.jbklutse.com/bingo-game/

Afrikrea launches ANKA to power global African E-Commerce

Afrikrea, the e-commerce platform for “all things made of Africa”, is launching ANKA – an all-in-one SaaS solution to provide seamless e-commerce, payments and global shipping online service for thousands of micro retailers and businesses on the continent and around the world, as it continues to power e-commerce for Africa.

Launched to coincide with Afrikrea’s fifth anniversary of operations, ANKA (meaning “Ours” in Bambara and Djoula) allows merchants to easily:

• Sell via a customised online storefront (like Shopify), social media platforms or by links such as on Gumroad and also the Afrikrea marketplace. This is carried out via an omnichannel dashboard with a single inventory, orders and messages management.
• With just 2 clicks, international shipping is offered at the best rates with the best partners. For instance, a 2kg parcel from Nigeria can be shipped to the US or UK for less than $20 – this includes DHL pickup and global tracking
• Facilitate and centralise payments (global and local) via a secure online wallet and receive payouts according to the merchant’s preference. A dedicated Afrikrea VISA card is also available.

Moulaye Taboure – CEO and Co-Founder of Afrikrea

Powered by Afrikrea, ANKA is the first of its kind global e-commerce aggregator of services for African micro retailers and has been developed to reduce the friction of the global sales process for the 7,000+ sellers on the Afrikrea platform, as well as open new routes to market for sellers.

Speaking on the launch of ANKA, Moulaye Taboure Co-Founder and CEO of Afrikrea says. “We see Afrikrea as the bridge between Africa and the world, empowering thousands of micro retailers and their clients globally. Those entrepreneurs currently lose time and energy managing multiple channels of sales, and also lose money through the multiple intermediaries needed to ship their orders or get access to their funds. ANKA enables them to sell anywhere as well as get paid – seamlessly, from one place.”

In a bid to power and support the entire sales life cycle, from point of sale to receipt of goods, Afrikrea partnered with leading global logistics partner, DHL in 2019 to ensure world-class delivery service for its vendors. Since then, ANKA has become the largest e-commerce exporter on the continent, with over 10 tons of cargo shipped every month out of Africa.

 

Afrikrea Executive Team (l-r) Luc Perussault-Diallo (CTO), Moulaye Taboure (CEO), Guillaume Darnaudet (CFO), Kadry Diallo (CMO)

Using the ANKA service, vendors can search for competitive shipping rates; this is not limited to sales on the Afrikrea platform. Dropshippers looking to create jobs produce goods and ship from the continent will also have the opportunity to manage their flow of business and get paid globally using the platform.

ANKA costs EUR10 [approximately $12] a month and the platform will also connect with MPesa, Orange and MTN, so customers looking to pay merchants can do so via mobile money, mobile banking, PayPal and a host of international payment cards. Merchants will also be able to transfer the funds from their wallets in any method of their choice, including their dedicated physical VISA card. From there, they can instantly pay or withdraw funds at an ATM as and when they prefer.

The African technology platform is at the forefront of a shift in the commerce sector, using tech and scalable software to create localised customer experiences without the need for global storefronts. Euromonitor has estimated the African fashion and apparel market to be worth $31billion in recent years. Afrikrea estimates the yearly spend of its major markets to be worth $12.5 billion.

The African diaspora in Europe ($1 billion), those in America and the Caribbean ($9 billion) and non-Africans with links to the continent ($2.5 billion). By building the technical infrastructure for global African culture and allowing its merchants to reach the world using proprietary technology, Afrikrea expects to power and empower tens of thousands more independent businesses inspired by African fashion and artisan items.

Founded in 2016, Afrikrea as a marketplace for selling and buying African-inspired clothing, accessories, arts and crafts has increased its transactions to over $15 million in 170 countries worldwide, with sellers from 47 out of 54 African countries. The platform currently records over 500,000 visits a month with the majority of customers located in Europe and North America.

Taboure concludes, “In much the same way that international technology companies like Shopify and Alibaba have been central to inspiring and powering a new wave of global online retailers, and have created wealth for thousands of entrepreneurs via access to amazing e-commerce software, our plan is to achieve much the same, but for the growing and dynamic African market.

By handling a safe and seamless process for our vendors – sales, payments, shipping – we expect to grow with them and power commerce for thousands more online marketplaces and sellers who have a passion for Africa”.

To add to this article or start a conversation, join our forum to share your opinions with other readers. For stories of this sort and more, do well to log on to www.jbklutse.com or visit us on Facebook.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/afrikrea-launches-anka/

Ajua acquires WayaWaya

Ajua, the integrated Customer Experience Management solution for businesses in Africa, has acquired WayaWaya, the Kenya-based Artificial Intelligence [AI] and Machine Learning [ML] known for its innovative Janja platform, that enables borderless banking and payments across apps and social media platforms, for an undisclosed sum. WayaWaya founder and lead Janja product builder, Teddy Ogallo, joins Ajua as VP of Product APIs and Integrations.

The acquisition of WayaWaya allows Ajua to integrate Janja to automate much of the customer experience journey by integrating janja.me product into their product stack, closing the customer experience loop as the smart AI and ML built by WayaWaya gives SMEs the ability to automate responses and give the customer what they want, when they want it.

WayaWaya currently helps both individuals and businesses with intelligent messaging, across a number of social platforms, including Whatsapp, Facebook messenger, Telegram, and others, and allows its users to automate customer support and take cross-border payments. As well as its vast reach with social platforms, WayaWaya is also integrated with global and African financial leaders including Mpesa, Airtel Money, Bankserv, First Data, Interswitch, Stripe, Flutterwave, Visa and MasterCard.

Launched in 2012, Ajua was built to solve the customer experience gap for businesses on the continent to drive business growth. Ajua combines technology with the customer experience and has built a number of innovative products that deliver real-time customer feedback at the point of service, for small and large businesses across Africa, with the goal to digitalize and power growth for over 45 million SMEs. Current Ajua infrastructure partners and clients include GoodLife Pharmacy, Standard Chartered, FBNQuest, Safaricom, Total, Coca-Cola and Java House.

The acquisition of WayaWaya comes just one month after Ajua announced its partnership with Nigeria’s MTN for MTN EnGauge, an agile application that offers innovative customer management solutions. The platform enables businesses to access to digital payments using a unique USSD code, CRM tools, customer feedback channels, debt management and tracking, business and product promotions through mobile and social media channels.

Through its new product roll-out with MTN, Ajua is generating more data for its thousands of users, much of which can now be better automated and monetized through the products and services WayaWaya has built, including cross-border digital transfers, payments services and intelligent finance bots.

Speaking on the acquisition, Ajua Founder and CEO, Kenfield Griffith say, “The acquisition of WayaWaya is an important milestone for us, as we make a significant leap in ensuring the customer experience journey for businesses across the continent is seamless.

Integrating WayaWaya’s technology significantly complements our product suite and gives us the ability to automate our clients’ businesses and grow their revenues, which is an extremely powerful proposition for our customers of all sizes, across Africa. From our experience in this area, we understand the CX fundamentals that drive growth for our customers and we want to bring this intelligence to SMEs across the continent.”

“The additional reach this acquisition brings allows Ajua to scale significantly within the SME vertical, as we provide our customers today, and in the future, the tools they need to grow in Africa and beyond. We continue to be bullish on the point that customer experience and customer engagement are the engines for growth for businesses across the continent and they are disciplines that are critical factors in driving productivity and revenue growth”.

The SME market in Nigeria alone is valued at $220 billion annually and projections reveal that businesses with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) have bolstered their productivity by 40 per cent. Ajua, the leader in the technology-powered customer experience market for the continent, uses data and analytics to connect companies with their customers in real-time, helping businesses to better understand the nature of their customers and subsequently increase sales through smarter experiences.

Teddy Ogallo, founder of WayaWaya and new VP of Product APIs and  Integrations for Ajua adds, “Ajua’s focus on introducing and scaling customer service and customer experience for the continent – and essentially how they help businesses deliver excellence for their customers – is something my team and I have long admired.

Seeing how WayaWaya’s technology can complement Ajua’s innovative products and services, and help scale and monetize businesses, is an exciting opportunity for us, and we are happy that our teams will be collaborating to build something unique for the continent”.

To add to this article or start a conversation, join our forum to share your opinions with other readers. For stories of this sort and more, do well to log on to www.jbklutse.com or visit us on Facebook.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/ajua-acquires-wayawaya/

MTN Ghana commits $149milion in total capex to meet the demand of digital services

MTN Ghana’s operational performance in the first quarter was anchored on its execution of various ‘Ambition 2025’ initiatives in data, MoMo and digital.

Amid accelerated digitalisation, MTN has committed to spending $149 million in total Capex in the year to meet the demand of digital services and help maintain the quality and availability of service for our data and Mobile Money customers. As part of MTN’s network expansion plan, the company rolled out 36 2G, 36 3G, 36 4G sites and modernized 223 existing sites to 4G sites in the quarter.

This investment helped support 64.0% growth in data traffic and reach a total of 2,160 4G sites nationwide resulting in an increase in our 4G population coverage from 71.7% to 76.1%.

Performance in the first quarter of 2021 was influenced by the protracted impact of the pandemic.  As a result of this MTN Ghana carried on with its work to support lives through its Y’ello Hope initiatives. Key amongst these initiatives is that as at April 5, 2021, MTN had delivered 356,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to support the Ghana Government’s efforts in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is part of the commitment made by MTN Group to provide US$25 million to support the African Union’s COVID-19 vaccination programme and help secure up to seven million doses of the vaccine for health workers across the continent.

Operational review

MTN’s subscriber base grew by 0.6 million to 25.0 million, as the company improved its network and customer experience. Continued demand for data and increased adoption of more digital payment services supported the company’s active data^* subscribers’ growth of 0.4 million to reach 11.2 million and MoMo users^# growth of 0.1 million to reach 10.7 million. The number of MoMo merchants expanded by 11,000 to 183,000 and our agent network by 15,000 to 221,000.

MTN also improved on its ayoba offerings with enhancements including payment integration and new business-to-customer channels. Additionally, MTN enhanced self-service offerings on the myMTN app, introducing MoMo and mobile broadband channels to the app to improve the feature set and customer experience.

Commenting on the quarterly results, the CEO of MTN Ghana says, Selorm Adadevoh said, MTN remains committed to providing support to combat COVID-19. As we progress through 2021, we will remain focused on supporting our people, our customers and Government, while ensuring network resilience as this is critical to the continued recovery of the economy.

Update on localisation of Scancom PLC and MobileMoney Limited

MTN continues to work with the Government of Ghana and key regulatory stakeholders to achieve all agreed localisation requirements. MTN Group remains committed to sell a further 8.1% of its investment in Scancom PLC to achieve 25% localisation.

MTN Ghana’s 25^th anniversary

This year marks MTN Ghana’s 25^th anniversary, a significant milestone in our journey to provide vital telecommunication and digital services in Ghana. We have committed to contribute the equivalent of $25 million (or GH¢150 million) over three years to a fund supporting Ghana’s post-COVID-19 recovery efforts. It is our belief that this will go a long way to support digital ecosystem projects as part of the government’s long-term transformation agenda. We will share more details as discussions progress.

Outlook

The company believes that the remainder of 2021 will be shaped by the extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MTN Ghana remains committed to supporting the government’s ambition of a digital Ghana and we have designated 2021 as the ‘Year of the customer: the digital experience’. We are excited about the opportunity to be part of the Ghana digital journey as we play our part through the many digital.

To add to this article or start a conversation, join our forum to share your opinions with other readers. For stories of this sort and more, do well to log on to www.jbklutse.com or visit us on Facebook.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/mtn-ghana-commits-149milion-in-total-capex/

IT Consortium earns BoG commendation for support to Ghana’s digital transformation

IT Consortium has earned praise and commendation from the Bank of Ghana to support the country’s digital transformation.

With several innovations in the tech industry aimed at providing solutions to help develop the country’s financial industry, the IT Consortium received the commendation of the Bank of Ghana during the 20th anniversary of the launch of the tech company.

IT Consortium is one of Africa’s leading financial services technology solutions providers with a mission to provide innovative systems that bring obvious value to our patrons. They adopt technology to create systems that provide clear competitive advantages to our customers. At IT Consortium, they strictly adhere to high ethical standards and exhibit pure dedication to excellence in all operational aspects.

Read Also: List of FinTech companies in Ghana.

Speaking at the 20th Anniversary launch of ITC, First Deputy Governor Dr Maxwell Opoku-Afari, said ITC’s contribution to the “conceptualization, designing and implementation of the flagship Ghana.Gov platform which is at the core of the digital economy project is laudable.”

Ghana.gov is the government online platform through which Ghanaians can apply for passports, birth and death certificates, driver’s license, register companies, pay utility bills, and access many other services state institutions and pay directly online.

Dr Opoku-Afari pointed out that despite the hostile environment for Fintechs at the time, ITC demonstrated an unusual appreciation of BoG’s direction of financial sector development. They have competently supported the digital transformation agenda of the Ghanaian financial services industry with digital solutions relevant to Ghana’s developmental needs.

“A stellar example is the Chango crowdfunding product, the first of its kind by a licensed institution in Ghana, introduced to improve on the traditional “susu” model for raising funds among a group of persons,” he noted.

“In an era when the word “Fintech” was alien to the library of finance vocabulary, and the thought of technology companies providing financial services would have been considered sacrilegious, IT Consortium was established,” he added.

Read Also: IT consortium, Nsano, and others receive BoG PSP enhanced licenses.

Dr Opoku-Afari believes that it is an achievement for IT Consortium to have been in the tech industry in a developing country like Ghana for 20 years and not fold up. They deserve to be commended for remaining relevant for 20 years in the tech industry in Ghana.

IT Consortium is indeed a driving force in the country’s digital transformation as it currently serves 19 commercial banks, 140 rural banks, telcos, insurance companies, and several state and corporate organizations.

They are the reason why Ghanaians can pay utility bills, pay TV bills, school fees, and other things with their mobile money and bank accounts digitally.

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source https://www.jbklutse.com/it-consortium-earns-bog-commendation/

Glo, Airtel & MTN fined N78.5m by the Nigerian Communications Commission

The Nigerian Communications Commission has fined Nigerian mobile network operators MTN, Airtel, Globacom and 9Mobile (EMTS) the sum of N78.5 million for breaching sim replacement guidelines.

According to PMnewsNigeria, though the commission found the four network operators to be at fault, MTN, Airtel and Globacom were fined, but 9Mobile (EMTs) was only issued a warning.

“All the four mobile network operators, MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9Mobile (EMTs), were found to be in absolute breach of the SIM Replacement Guidelines at the last SIM replacement audit exercise conducted by the commission. A notice of sanction was consequently issued to the respective MNOs to show why appropriate sanctions should not be imposed for the violation,” NCC stated in its enforcement report.

The telecoms regulator also stated that each of the telecoms operators was sanctioned according to the number of infractions recorded against its network. Airtel was fined N3.2 million for 13 infractions recorded on its network, while Globacom pays the sum of N39.2 million for 37 infractions. MTN, which is the largest operator by subscriber number, was fined N36 million regarding 24 infractions discovered on its network.

Nigerian Communications Commission – Sim Replacement Guidelines

According to the SIM Replacement Guidelines issued by the regulator:

1.  A SIM can be replaced if it is faulty, damaged, stolen, lost, obsolete (but eligible for replacement or an upgrade), and any other reason necessitating a SIM replacement.
2. An operator may refuse a SIM Replacement request where there are reasonable grounds to believe that the replacement ought not to be carried out, and the Commission is notified within 24 hours of such a decision.
3. The SIM must have been registered per the registration of telephone subscribers regulations issued by the commission.
4. The subscriber requesting the replacement must provide the following: information about the three most frequently called numbers from that SIM, which the network service provider must verify, as well as the frequently called numbers must have been dialled at least five times over 30 days.
5. Where the SIM to be replaced is a data SIM, the subscriber will be required to provide any two of the following: Last recharge amount and date, name of internet bundle value activated and data allowance allocated, last three sites visited, an affidavit signed by the subscriber and a passport photograph of the subscriber where the replacement is to be done by a proxy.

A network service provider shall be held liable for any SIM replacement carried out in violation of these regulations or done fraudulently by its agent or dealer. The subscriber can pursue any other remedies against a network service provider.

To add to this article or start a conversation, join our forum to share your opinions with other readers. For stories of this sort and more, do well to log on to www.jbklutse.com or visit us on Facebook.

source https://www.jbklutse.com/nigerian-communications-commission/