Shoppers are being encouraged to shop with their ATM cards during the festive season to avoid the stress associated with moving around with cash.

Shoppers tend to lose their monies in the midst of running up and down looking for the best bargain.

There is also high demand on cash withdrawals at the ATM outlets that leaves a number of the machines with inadequate money.

However, much of this stress is avoidable, now that ATM cards, particularly the local cards can be used to make payment by swiping on gh-link point of sales terminals.

In an interview the Chief Executive of Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS) said “shopping is less stressful by moving around with all your cash on a card”.

He said all the major shopping outlets in Accra have the POSes which accept both local bank ATM and e-zwich cards.

He explains that instead of moving around with loads of cash, it was better to use the ATM cards to make payments.

He said GhIPSS in conjunction with the banks have rolled out several POSes at the malls, major restaurants, pharmacies, hotels and even beauty parlours, to make shopping more comfortable.

GhIPSS was set up by the Bank of Ghana to ensure a migration of Ghana’s payment system from cash dependent to a cash lite economy.

The organisation has since its establishment undertaken various initiatives in line with this objective.

The most significant one is the gh-link platform which does not only allow bank ATM cards to work in each other’s machine but also allows card holders to make payment directly with it on gh-link hybrid POSes.

GhIPSS together with the banks began deploying these POSes at key shopping outlets from the beginning of the year in Accra.

Mr. Hesse noted that activities of thieves and robbers pick up during festivities and says a good way of keeping at bay their activities, to keep minimal cash while making payments more often with card.

“This will require buying from shops which have the POSes, but it is worth it and rest assured that the main shopping outlets have the POSes.

The GhIPSS CEO also urged shops to visibly display these POSes so shoppers will know that they have them.

He also urged them to explore the option of keeping the shops opened deep into the night and restrict payment after 10pm to cards only. According to him such a strategy will enable shops benefit from extended sales while ensuring that their funds are safe.

Mr. Hesse was hopeful that shopping with cards was soon going to be the norm in Ghana, as the current busy schedule of people will make the most convenient form of payment. He therefore urged shops to stay ahead of competition by embracing the idea of electronic payment.