E-zwich roll out plan revised

The Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement System (GhIPSS) has revised its approach in the deployment of e-zwich point-of sale machines and the issuance of the biometric smart cards.

Officials say the measures are aimed at increasing patronage of e-zwich services, whilst offering distinct options to account holders in urban and rural areas.

Mass e-zwich registration exercises in parts of the country recorded high patronage. However, the biometric smart cards have remained mere plastics in the wallet and purses of consumers, due to challenges in accessing e-zwich services at the point of sale.

Targeted e-zwich merchants and retailers have not been attracted to install the POS device, citing high cost in acquiring the machine.

But General Manager in-charge of Project and Business Development at GhIPSS, Archie Hesse, tells Luv Fm the merchants are now being offered flexible terms to acquire the devices.

“One of the issues they keep talking about is the cost of the POS. it is an expensive machine, so what we have done now is we've come out with measures that will encourage merchants to go for them. One of them is to pay it over for a three-year period, either an arrangement with their bank or through GhIPSS”, he said.

Mr. Hesse added some strategic institutions, like the education sector, have been earmarked to install the POS free of charge for a year.

He also says the roll out plan for rural areas is now tagged to the economic activity in the locality, instead of the mass registration which characterized the urban e-zwich enrolment.

The objective he said is to introduce the rural communities to modern banking and to provide a safe haven for their hard earned income.

Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh