Ghana Inter-bank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS) has begun a programme to install e-zwich Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in all the regional capitals and major trading towns. Mr. Archie Hesse General Manager in-charge of Project and Business Development of GhIPSS, said the move was to ensure that e-zwich card holders get enough avenues to use the smart card. He told GNA that already, ATMs have been installed in Takoradi, Ho and Techiman and Dansoman in Accra and plans were advanced to install the facility in Cape Coast, Kumasi and Tamale. Mr. Hesse said that the facility was being installed at the University of Ghana, Legon, and High Street in Accra. He said that full benefits of the ATMs would be realised when all banks link the traditional accounts of their customers to their e-zwich cards. E-zwich ATMs installed in Osu and the National Investment Bank, Head office in Accra, and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology have been running since last year. The ATMs accept all e-zwich cards regardless of the banks that issued them, making them more accessible to many people. The biometric smart card holders can therefore perform various transactions using these ATMs including money transfer from one card to another and withdrawal of cash. The e-zwich ATMs can also be used to load money that has been transferred to the card holders and anybody who has the card can transfer money from it to his or her traditional bank accounts. These services make the e-zwich ATMs very beneficial to individuals who have the cards. So far some banks including Cal Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Merchant Bank, Zenith Bank, UBA, International Commercial Bank and Trust Bank have completed this process. The patronage of the biometric e-zwich card has seen a significant increase in recent times as more Ghanaians are discovering its enormous benefits. Available figures from GhIPSS indicate that between January to March this year, 8,631 money transfers has been made through the e-zwich, valued GH¢2,074,597.96 compared to 7,012 money transfers valued at GH¢851,946.56 for 2009. Source: GNA