MoMAG demands gov’t action amid rising attacks on mobile money agents

The Mobile Money Advocacy Group Ghana (MoMAG) has raised alarm over the increasing attacks and killings of mobile money agents across the country, calling for immediate government intervention to ensure their safety.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra, MoMAG’s Research and Operations Director, Stephen Quarcoo Gorman, described the situation as dire, emphasising the essential role of mobile money agents in Ghana’s financial ecosystem.

“The mobile money industry has lost numerous agents to barbaric acts of robbery and killing over the past years. Despite their contributions to the economy, subsequent governments have shown little concern for their safety,” he lamented.

MoMAG cited several recent attacks, including the robbery and killing of an agent in Krofrom, Ashanti Region, on January 13, 2025, and another fatal shooting in Nkrankwanta, Bono Region, on January 19. In addition, an agent in Kasoa, Central Region, was robbed at gunpoint of GHS 30,000 on January 27, while another in Spintex, Greater Accra, lost GHS 45,000 in a robbery on February 19. These incidents, MoMAG stressed, highlight the urgent need for enhanced security measures to protect the over 609,000 active mobile money agents who serve as the backbone of Ghana’s financial sector.

The association underscored the industry’s significant economic impact, stating that it directly employs over one million youth and has created 500,000 indirect jobs, including opportunities in fintech companies. It also generates substantial tax revenue from electronic money issuers (EMIs), banks, agents, and fintech firms. Gorman emphasized that mobile money agents extend financial services to rural areas, offering banking, insurance, pensions, and payment solutions in places where traditional banks are absent.

To mitigate risks, MoMAG advised agents to close their shops by 6:00 pm, avoid discussing sensitive transactions in public, refrain from withdrawing large sums of money, install CCTV cameras, and adopt other preventive security measures.

The association also made an urgent appeal to President John Dramani Mahama, the Interior Ministry, the Defence Ministry, and National Security, urging them to deploy adequate security measures to protect mobile money agents.

“We call on His Excellency, President John Dramani Mahama, to intervene immediately. Mobile money agents cannot continue to be easy targets for criminals,” Gorman appealed.

With the industry’s role in financial inclusion and economic development, MoMAG insists that the time for government action is now to prevent financial losses.