The Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS) has calculated that use of the e-zwich biometric smart card has jumped about 500% in the first half of 2012, reports Ghana Web. Most of this growth occurred in the second quarter.

Both value of sales transactions and volume of the transactions with the card rose over the six-month period, with value growing from 400,000 Ghana cedis to 4.5 million Ghana cedis, and 700 transactions to more than 7,200.

Using the card for salary payment and other transactions within the Payment Distribution System also contributed to the growth.

Some challenges still occur with the system, most notably using the cards to pay for goods and services. The GhIPPS is working on ways to implement payment systems, as well as increase the number of e-zwich card users.

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