The Bank of Ghana has directed all banks to deploy the use of armoured-plated bullion vans for cash movement operations immediately.
“Failure to comply with this directive in all cash-related activities across the country shall attract severe sanctions,” the Central Bank wrote to all managing directors of banks in Ghana.
The letter dated Friday, June 24 comes a couple of days after a police officer was killed at Ablekuma, a suburb of Accra, by armed robbers.
The armed robbers are said to have shot the officer multiple times at close range before making away with his gun and undisclosed amount of money.
The Ghana Association of Banks (GAB) had scheduled July 1 to start the use of armoured-plated vehicles for cash-in-transit activities after a similar robbery led to the death of a police officer at Adedenkpo, near Jamestown, in 2021.
But the letter signed by Secretary of the Central Bank Sandra Thompson said the latest directive is to ensure “security of cash-in-transit activities and to underscore the Bank’s commitment to protect the lives of both Security Personnel and Bank Staff involved in all cash movements”.