ARB Apex Bank and RCBs pilot agency banking

By Elizabeth PUNSU, Kumasi

Deputy Managing Director of ARB Apex Bank PLC, Curtis W. Brantuo, is optimistic about meeting the World Bank’s Financial Sector Development Project (FSDP) goals in collaboration with Rural and Community Banks (RCBs) nationwide.

Mr. Brantuo highlighted that under the FSDP the ARB Apex Bank is implementing agency, internet, and mobile banking solutions for Rural and Community Banks (RCBs).

The Financial Sector Development Project which is expected to come to an end in June, is to promote financial sector soundness and access to financial services by individuals.

Providing project updates, Mr. Brantuo revealed that approximately 37,000 customers are already utilising the USSD Banking platform successfully for transactions, including balance inquiries, mini statements, intra and inter-RCB transfers, transfers to commercial banks, as well as account-to-wallet and wallet-to-account transfers.

In addition to the USSD platform, the deposit mobilisation solution for RCB mobile bankers has been finalised, with ongoing setup to onboard RCBs interested in purchasing Point of Sale (PoS) devices for this purpose.

Mr. Brantuo who announced these at Sekyere Rural Banks 34^th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of shareholders added that the User Acceptance Test (UAT) for Agency Banking has been completed and have moved the solution to the live environment to prepare for deploying pilot agents.

In all he indicated that the ARB Apex Bank has received approximately 935 agent forms from various RCBs, which will be utilised for the pilot programme.

“The development of mobile banking applications is completed, and the User Acceptance Test (UAT) has begun with the Apex Bank is currently in the process of developing an Internet banking solution,” he said.

The objective of Financial Sector Development Project for Ghana is to promote financial sector soundness and access to financial services by individuals.

Mr. Brantuo therefore, called for support from chief executive officers of the various RCBs to provide the required information to the project implementation team at ARB Apex Bank for the deployment of all solutions by the project deadline.

He assured that the project when successful is essential for generating revenue and retaining customers.

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