Is the e-zwich now a white elephant?
The cumbersome banking processes and waste of man hours in the course of transacting businesses at the banking hall has been the bane of many businessmen and women. So when the e-zwich system was launched with the popular slogan, “Easy banking for everyone”, many people heaved a sigh of relief for what it was supposed to offer.
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The e-zwich, we were made to understand, would be easy to use. It would also be safe, secure, convenient and accessible. Banking facilities will be extended to people who have limited or no access to banking services, i.e. under-banked and un-banked.
Other benefits of the e-zwich was that the system could make easy and timely disbursements of loans, advances and deductions from salaries and wages. Efficient and timely collection of insurance premiums could also be effected by the e-zwich system among many other benefits.
I had the opportunity to sign on to the e-zwich system in 2007 and has since derived some benefits from it. In March 2008, the e-zwich system helped me from being stranded on the Kumasi Accra highway. I have since held the e-zwich in high esteem. I, therefore, decided to save some few cedis on my e-zwich account every month.
However, for quite some months now if not years, many providers of the services have stopped providing them. The recent one I personally experienced was from January to April 2014.
Within this period, I had always spent most of the day at the Oxford Street due to my work schedule. And in all these months I went to about eight branches of various banks at the Oxford Street for e-zwich services, and none was able to serve me.
The excuse was that their machines were faulty or the system was jammed or they did not have the service at all. I have since been to other branches at Abeka-Lapaz where I live, Kaneshie Industrial Area where I work and many other branches and most of the time, the excuse is the same.
On May 16, 2014, I decided to buy fuel with my e-zwich card. I went to fuel filling stations at Abeka-Lapaz, Tesano, Nyamekye and other places but they did not have the e-zwich machine.
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My vehicle fuel indicator was showing red. I, therefore, had to cash the money from any e-zwich service provider to be able to buy the fuel. I moved from one bank to another until I got to UMB, Abeka branch–it was getting to 4 p.m. and I had no choice but to withdraw all my money on my e-zwich account. Operators of the e-zwich system have just lost a loyal customer. Many other clients have expressed similar sentiments and the earlier something is done, the better.
I, therefore, wish to use this opportunity to appeal to the stakeholders on the e-zwich platform to wake up from their slumber. If, indeed, the delightful benefits the adverts portrayed during the educational campaign are anything to go by, then the system has to be revamped. It is in this regard that I call on GhIPSS, operators of the e-zwich system, the Bank of Ghana, and other relevant groups to make the system work for better financial transactions.
Writer's email: daahluke@yahoo.com