Public urged to use e-payment systems
The Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank), Mr Lekan Sanusi, has urged all to embrace and use the various e-payment systems introduced in the country.
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According to him, the advantages of using the system are enormous and it is more convenient and cost-effective.
Mr Sanusi made the call in an interview with the GRAPHIC BUSINESS shortly after the launch of the Government Online Services Project “e-Services and e-Payment” portals.
The project forms part of the e-Government initiatives under the e-Ghana project and it is being implemented by the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) to support operations of government services online.
He said: “In many other jurisdictions, e-payments are the order of the day and we can measure the successes to justify why we need to embrace it fully in Ghana,” he said.
Under the project, a portal infrastructure has been deployed to provide a platform for online submission of application of services through the use of e-Forms, an e-Payment interface for payment of the services, postal and delivery services and application security for various government agencies.
Earlier, a Deputy Minister of Communications, Mr Ato Sarpong, who launched the portals, enumerated a number of benefits of the project to include the time saved in transacting business in the country.
“It costs the state more than GH¢40 million as a result of time wasted in getting things but this new platform introduced will help reduce this drastically,” he said.
Mr Sarpong also mentioned the convenience in doing business; reduction in the cost of doing business; security of transactions and the convenience, among other things, as some of the advantages that come with the project.
He urged all to embrace the new payment platform as the government strived, with the assistance and collaboration of the private sector—particularly the financial institutions, to move the economy to a cashless one.
Payment types
Presently, the online payment types available on the platform include: Visa Card, MasterCard (Credit/Debit Cards), e-Transact Card, Airtel Money, MTN Mobile Money, Payall (Cash and Cheque) and Bank Transfer.
Also available are the postal and courier services operating on the platform such as Ghana Post EMS and DHL.
The Director-General of NITA, Mr William Tervie, on his part said the e-Services module would merge government services and help to eliminate the difficulty involved in handling complex and bureaucratic processes at interdependent ministries and agencies that provided government services.
For government employees, he was of the view that this would enhance interaction with the public through the handling of forms filled out by citizens and paid online.
“This will enable information sharing, faster service delivery to customers while ensuring customer satisfaction,” he added.
Project on pilot
The pilot phase of the project includes government agencies such as the Passport Office, National Information Technology Agency (NITA), National Identification Authority and the Mineral’s Commission.
Others are the Births and Deaths Registry, the Ghana Police Service - CID, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Ghana Tourist Authority, National Communications Authority (NCA), Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Registrar Generals Department and the Ghana Revenue Authority.
The e-Services and e-Payment will be rolled out first as a pilot during which period all the services provided by these government will be accessible online. Downloadable forms will also be available for the entire respective agencies’ services, which applicants can download, pay online, fill out and submit manually. GB