Banks pull innovative digital solutions to link Ghana Card to accounts

Nii Amankra Tetteh, Executive Director of Business of the Universal Merchant Bank (UMB), has disclosed that some banks in the country have come up with innovative digital solutions to link the Ghana cards to accounts.

Mr. Nii Tetteh intimated that UMB and a few other banks have developed digital means that allow customers to achieve the linkage digitally.

According to him, finding these digital solutions is critical as the search for a single source of truth and the consequent integration of databases is a critical ambition for Ghana.

Mr. Nii Amankra Tetteh noted that bringing financial data into this integration is important and as such, the Bank of Ghana’s support for it is commendable.

Mr. Nii Amankra Tetteh, meanwhile, hailed UMB’s digital solution to link the Ghana card to the various bank accounts.

“UMB’s solution dubbed: ‘EZ- UPDATE’ allows customers to scan their Ghana Cards with their phones and load this information onto a secure portal” he said.

Mr. Nii Tetteh added that customers would then be able to sign into this portal and link their Ghana cards to their accounts.

The Executive Director noted that the EZ UPDATE is the Bank’s own digital innovation to reflect the lifestyles of their customers.

“Now our customers can conveniently update their accounts, even at 2 am on a Sunday. This is the UMB advantage we are proud of and continue to deliver to Ghana, since 1972.”

Digital Solutions

Mr. Nii Tette boasted that with the launch of EZ UPDATE, UMB joined an elite club of Banks in Ghana offering the service, noting that over 80 per cent of Banks in Ghana, currently require their customers to do the linkage in person at their branches.

Madam Belinda Boamah, Executive Director (Strategy) at UMB said, “At UMB we pride ourselves in innovating for customer convenience, since 1972.” She observed that EZ UPDATE was developed internally in the Bank, but its performance is world-class.

Madam Belinda Boamah intimated that it was another step in their digital journey as they are committed to becoming the best digital bank for the customer, in the next 50 years of the Bank.

“We are working hard to get to the point where our customers can interact with the Bank fully online, guaranteeing true convenience and access” she indicated.

The Executive Director intimated that few other banks also out-doored online platforms that allow customers to link their Ghana Cards to their accounts online, without having to go into their branch.

The Central Bank has set July 1, 2022, as the deadline for all bank accounts in Ghana to be linked to the Ghana Card.

This is in line with the Bank’s and the Government’s strategy to make the Ghana Card the primary ID in the country.

The Bank’s drive to have all accounts validated and linked to Ghana Card continues to enjoy support from commercial banks in Ghana.

A significant number of banks have undertaken heavy publicity campaigns to get their customers to link their cards.