LAGOS: Ghana ministry of communications officials have confirmed that statements earlier in the week on the country's pushing of the Central Bank towards a “cashless" society were true and they hoped to finalize a number of agreements before the end of the year in order to make this a reality. Minister of Communication Haruna Idrissu said that the “benefits of the growing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) environment for the financial sector were enormous and must be harnessed by the banking sector to bring banking to the door-steps of their customers." He was delivering the keynote address at the opening of the 16th Ghana National Banking Conference on Tuesday, and pointed out that “cashless transactions could protect the people against carrying bulky sums of money to attract the attention of criminals to themselves, their homes and office premises." His ministry confirmed on Friday that they were currently working with Central Bank officials in Accra to come to an agreement to assist in the delivery and functionality of mobile money for customers in the country. The hope, they said, was that by the middle of next year, operators will be able to begin rolling out the beginnings of what the ministry believes will be a new functioning mobile money system that will alleviate time and frustration over transactions.
