Accra, Nov. 17, GNA - The Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS) has urged travelers to use the e-zwich card on journeys within the country to ensure the security of their funds. The appeal comes in the wake of reported highway robberies across the country.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra, the General Manager in-charge of Project and Business Development at GhIPSS, Mr Archie Hesse encouraged the travellers to get an e-zwich card from any bank of their choice to enable them load their monies on. He said GhIPSS together with the banks had deployed various outlets throughout the country to enable travellers load cash on the card and withdraw their monies at their destinations. Mr Hesse said apart from the banks and some major shopping centres, GhIPSS had also installed e-zwich ATMs in all except two of the regional capitals.

The e-zwich ATMs in Wa and Bolgatanga are nearing completion and would soon be running and other major trading centres such as Techiman also have the e-zwich ATMs. Under its new roll out strategy, GhIPSS has also deployed e-zwich Point of Sales Machines at some bus terminals and commercial centres. Mr Hesse said it was very safe to use the e-zwich because the robbers would have no use for it because the card would only work with the live finger of the card owner.

He assured the public that in the event that they lose their e-zwich card, it would be replaced with all the monies still intact. Additionally, he said there were withdrawal limits on the e-zwich card based on the discretion of the cardholder. Another security feature is the emergency finger. At the point of registering for an e-zwich card, it is encouraged to pick one of the fingers as an emergency finger. In event that you would have to withdraw cash under duress, you place the emergency finger on the device and only a limited amount of money can be accessed.

All these features, Mr Hesse explained were to ensure that people did not lose their monies held on the card. He entreated the public to seek as much education from their bankers on e-zwich or call on GhIPSS to clarify any doubt they had about the biometric card.

Mr Hesse said GhIPSS and the banks would continue to install more e-zwich ATMs, and put out more point of sales machines at vantage points including the lorry parks so that people could easily access the service. 17 Nov. 10