Accra, June 13, GNA - Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS) and the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union (GPRTU), are collaborating to enrol and issue e-zwich cards to commercial drivers and other people operating at the country's lorry parks.

The programme is to ensure that as many drivers as possible have the opportunity to experience the use of the biometric card. The enrolment has so far taken place at the Kaneshie Lorry Park, Tema Station, and the new Achimota terminal.

The exercise will move to other areas in the capital including the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Lorry Park and Cocoa Marketing Board at the Central Business District and then to other towns and cities in the country. The General Manager in charge of Project and Business Development at GhIPSS, Mr Archie Hesse who made this known to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said various banks are enrolling people at the various terminals. He said every terminal has an agency set up to perform basic banking services. The agency merchant has a Point of Sales (POS) device where the drivers can put their cash onto the e-zwich card or withdraw cash from the card. The drivers will also be able to transfer money to an e-zwich card holder.

Mr Hesse expressed the hope that GhIPSS would be able to enrol as many people as possible and provide the POS devices at lorry parks so that drivers travelling can load their cash onto the e-zwich and withdraw at their destination. The service, he said would be available to any person doing business or using the lorry parks.

Commercial drivers, particularly those who go on long distances are faced with a number of risks including robbery and loss of money through motor accidents, but officials of GhIPSS say all these problems will be a thing of the past when drivers and passengers keep their monies in electronic form on the e-zwich card. According to GhIPSS not only will the use of e-zwich bring about convenience and security to the travelling public but will also ensure that more money goes through the banking system.

Executives of GPRTU are upbeat about the exercise and want it extended to as many terminals as possible. The executives of the transport association at the various parks have also been trained and are the ones in charge of the agency. This is to ensure that the drivers are comfortable and own the project. In other countries where biometric smart card is used, the agency model has been the main driver of the project.

Recent trends point to an increase in the patronage of the national payment system with money transfer through the e-zwich system, which is becoming the star performer.

Mr Hesse said recipients of such electronic money transfers should insist that the teller at the bank, first load the money onto the card before the withdrawal command is issued. The General Manager said some people have complained that they were unable to access funds transferred to their cards, explaining that it happened because the right procedure was not followed. 13 June 10