Automated cash machines advance banking in Ghana

Ghana's progression towards a cashless society is gaining momentum with the introduction of e-zwich ATMs (automated teller machines), which facilitate cash withdrawals, card-to-card transactions, third-party payments and money transfers.

The ATMs went into operation on Oct. 1, Yoku Korsah, chief operating officer of the Ghana Interbank and Payment Settlement System (GHIPSS), said at a demonstration.

Banks will be able to purchase the special ATMs at negotiable rates, but GHIPSS will also ensure that the machines are placed in universities, business centers and densely populated areas, Korsah said. GHIPSS has already delivered five machines, in addition to the one it installed for demonstration purposes, he added.

The ATMs were designed by Dela Rue, a European company, and run on Universal Electronic Payment System operating software.

The current subscriber base of the e-zwich smart cards is pegged at 45,000 subscribers out of the estimated Ghanian population of 22 million.