Accra, Oct. 31, GNA - Millicom Ghana, operators of Tigo Cellular Network, on Friday, launched its innovative product dubbed 93Tigo Cash", which would enable Tigo customers to send, receive, top up airtime, pay bills, as well as make purchases, using their mobile phones.

Banks partnering Millicom Ghana for the implementation of the service, include, the Agriculture Development Bank (ADB), the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Ecobank and the Fidelity Bank. Speaking at the launch, Mr Harruna Iddrisu, Minister of Communications praised Milicom Ghana for the introduction of the service unto the Ghanaian market.

This, according to the minister, would help deepen competition among the telecommunication organisations in the country, which would in turn lead to improvement in service delivery. "Such innovations would also enable the country to compete effectively on the global market in the telecommunication sector," he stressed.

He noted that about 16.9 million Ghanaians now had access to mobile phone since it is no longer a luxury but a necessity. He pledged government support to all in the telecommunication sector and urged them to let transparency reign in their activities and also, execute more social responsibilities.

Mr Kwesi Donkor, Commercial Manager of Tigo said the introduction of the Tigo Cash service was necessitated by the fact that, about eight, out of ten persons, did not have access to bank account in the country, especially those in the rural areas. He pledged Tigo's commitment to its customers and urged them to register with the service as it was one of the safest and the most convenient means of sending and receiving money from family, friends and business partners. Mr Percy Gondi, Head of Innovation, Tigo, said the introduction of the product was a milestone for Tigo, as it blended banking with technology and also deepens financial access to more customers. Mr Franklin Donye, representative of the Bank of Ghana, appealed to all the cellular networks in the country, which were involved in mobile money, to educate their customers on the service, in order to avoid fraud. He said the bank would come out with rules and regulations concerning the mobile money transfer for telecommunication companies in the country.