Internet use in Ghana has increased considerably over the last few years.

According to data from the World Bank, in 2003, only 1.2% of the population of the nation was actively using internet services as part of their day to day lives as well as in business dealings.

Within ten years, i.e., by 2013, this number had shot up to 12.3%. This can be attributed to the growing number of internet service providers as well as the reduction in the cost of the services and packages they offer. Factor in the advent of internet-enabled mobile phones and now, smartphones and tablets; and we can assume that internet use in Ghana is no longer the luxury it used to be.

Having moved from the use of WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) to what we know commonly as 3G, 3.5G and the very newly introduced 4G, the speed and quality of the internet that we have been using has also improved immeasurably.

All of the above elements have culminated in a very widely growing e-commerce sector in the country.

Electronic commerce (e-commerce) can basically be described as engaging in trade or conducting a business over an electronic network; usually the internet.

In recent times, a number of online ventures have sprung up; including online marketplaces, Kaymu and Jumia, which carry all sorts of products and deliver them to you wherever you are in Ghana; the real estate marketplace, Lamudi and its sister company, Carmudi which is a vehicle dealership; and Easy Taxi which lets you book a taxi that will come and get you from your exact location and send you wherever you would like to go.

All these online ventures offer services that should make life easier for the ordinary Ghanaian who will very likely be unable to find time out of their busy schedule to run around town, especially in a season such as this Christmas one where the city centres are choked with people from all over the country.

However, there seems to be a general mistrust of online commerce. Being a nation where internet fraud is prevalent does not help the cause of such online businesses. Stories are constantly told and published of people being duped when they tried to conduct business over the internet.

Potential sellers are scared that their goods will be taken away, whereas potential buyers are afraid they may lose their money buying inferior goods. People are also wary of sharing personal information online. It is well and good this wariness exists because it will ensure that security consciousness is high. However, there are times when it gets in the way of ensuring that people are furnished with goods and services that will go a long way in helping the entire populace in the long run.

What then is the way forward? Education is one of the ways that people can be made to understand and properly use the internet to conduct business. People should be made aware of the basic dos and don’ts that govern even the most basic e-commerce. These online businesses should make some attempts to properly inform the general public about the workings of their trade.

Also, more stringent efforts should be made to streamline online business dealings. The relevant authorities should help put in place proper security features that will put people’s minds at ease.

Finally, we all know the battle to rid Ghana of the stigma is on-going. However, as people, we have a stake in the general well-being on the nation as well as its development. This means that it behoves on us to report any shady dealings that we may know of to the relevant authorities.

It doesn’t hurt to start with the police. Apart from the 191 we all know, their emergency number is +233-27-522299.