The country’s largest bank, Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), with a huge customer base now offers e-zwich service at all of its branches nationwide. The signification feat implies that a lot more people will have access to the electronic payment system introduced by the Bank of Ghana.
GCB spent the last three years, since the launch of e-zwich, completing its internal processes.

This was to ensure that it is able to provide the service throughout the country’s nooks and crannies. With its wide networked branches, officials of GCB say having provided Point of Sales(POS) devices at all of its branches, they are taking e-zwich to every corner of the country- a move that is expected to cause a stir in the banking sector.

The head of Project Management Office at the Bank, Charles C.C.C.C.Crabbe, said the bank had already rolled –out a number of products and services using e-zwich. He said the bank entered into agreements with a number of companies and organizations to pay their workers’ salaries and allowances through their e-zwich cards. He mentioned that West African Examination Council examiners receive their allowances through the biometric card. Mr. Crabbe said the bank is working to rope –in more companies because of the usefulness of the service.

“The potential in this area is huge” he added. To ensure that as many customers of the bank have the e-zwich card, GCB has been enrolling customers at all expect a few of its branches. Besides the branch registration, the bank has a mobile registration outfit that moves from area to another issuing people with the biometric smartcards.

Mr. Crabbe explained that the bank is currently registering teachers to enable them access credit from the Teachers’ Fund using the e- zwich.
He said the bank is also collaborating with the Apex Bank in various forms to ensure that the rural population enjoys the e- zwich services.
The banker said the mobile registration is also enrolling students of tertiary institutions particularly the polytechnics. But he added that there is a separate programme to issue the biometric cards in Senior High Schools.

The Head of Project Management at GCB is upbeat about e-zwich, and said it worked effectively. He noted that the service would greatly transform the country’s payment system. According to him, the banking is devising ways to using the service for its own internal operations, and also links it with other existing products of the bank

Mr. Crabbe also spoke of other collaborations, including one between the bank and a micro-finance scheme operated by the Catholic Church, and said that pretty soon the use of the biometric smart card will permeate all aspects of banking through the leadership of GCB.

Meanwhile, the bank hopes to interface customers’ traditional bank accounts with their e-zwich before the year ends.

When this happens customers can use the e-zwich card to access their bank account Additionally, the bank will reconfigure its Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) to enable them accept e-zwich cards But in the meantime, GCB is hosting ten of the e-zwich ATMs that are being rolled-out throughout country.

Source: B&FT