HFC BANK SENSITISES TAMALE RESIDENTS TO E-ZWICH (PAGE 29)

THE Management of Home Finance Company Bank Ghana Limited (HFC Bank) has embarked on a massive educational campaign on the use of the national switch, ‘‘e-zwich’’ smart card system in the Tamale metropolis.
The programme, which began in Tamale at a forum, is being extended to the general public through the various radio stations.
The management also intends organising its usual customer appreciation day, where clients and members of the public will be sensitised to the services and products of the bank.
The programme comes in the wake of the interest shown by most merchants and clients in the metropolis in the use of the biometric smart card system to transact business in the area.
The HFC Bank has thus become the first to use the innovative electronic payments and settlements system in Tamale.
The acting Head, Marketing and Direct Sales of the bank, Mr Bekoe Palmer-Buckle, described the new system as very convenient, secure and easy.
He explained that anybody who used a cell phone could also use the biometrict smart cared to transact business with financial and non-banking institutions such as banks, savings and loans companies, money transfer institutions, rural banks and credit unions.
‘‘The card can also be used to perform various banking and retail functions which include cash withdrawals, salary payments, payment for goods and services, bills and money transfers without sweat,’’ he indicated.
Mr Palmer-Buckle said for a start, all the staff of the bank would be paid their salaries through the new system and, therefore, urged customers and the public to patronise the new technology.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Executive Director of the bank, Mr Akwete Akita, said the operation of the e-zwich would also serve as a foundation platform for the deployment of other electronic payments and settlement systems aimed at transforming the economy from a cash-based payment to an electronic payment system.
‘‘The e-zwich smart card will provide you, our valued customers and indeed all who sign on for the HFC Bank e-zwich card, an instant bank account resident on your own and secured with your unique biometric security,’’ he stressed, adding ‘‘this will make all your financial transaction requirements easy and affordable.’’
The Deputy Manager of the Bank of Ghana in Tamale, Mr J. T. Kudah, commended the management of the HFC Bank for the initiative, explaining that the introduction of the new system was part of the government’s determination to make business transactions easier to achieve its objectives of turning Ghana into the gateway to the West African sub-region.