By: Maame Efua Kwaduah
The Vice President and presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has addressed concerns about Ghana’s lack of access to PayPal during an engagement with stakeholders from the arts and tourism fraternity.
He acknowledged that many content creators have faced challenges, including having funds locked up in PayPal accounts due to the platform’s unavailability in Ghana.
Dr. Bawumia revealed that since 2017, efforts have been made at the highest level to get PayPal to remove Ghana from its restricted list. However, despite progress, the country has not yet secured full access. He compared the situation with neighboring Nigeria, which has access to PayPal, underscoring the frustration of being left out despite Ghana’s advancements in digital commerce.
In response to these setbacks, Dr. Bawumia explained that the government, in collaboration with the Bank of Ghana and Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS), is working on alternative solutions. One key initiative is the introduction of co-badged payment cards in partnership with Mastercard, UnionPay, and Discover.
According to him, these cards will allow users to link their local Ghana Card to international payment networks, providing more options for artists and digital entrepreneurs to receive payments seamlessly.
This initiative he said aims to address the needs of creatives and businesses operating in the global marketplace by offering reliable alternatives to PayPal.
Dr. Bawumia emphasized the importance of ensuring smooth payment systems for content creators, musicians, and others in the digital economy.