Ghana.gov rakes in over GH¢133 billion

The Ghana.gov platform built for all government institutions to conveniently receive digital payments directly into their bank accounts for services they render to the public, has raked in over GH¢133.6 billion between June 2020 and April 2023, from about 24.45 million transactions over the period.

Per figures available to Techfocus24, in 2020, the platform raked in over GHS5 billion from 1.6 million+ transactions; in 2021 it recorded GHS40.3 billion+ from over 9.8 million transactions. Last year the transaction value rose up to about GHS62.8 billion from over 10 million transactions.

Meanwhile, the fourth month-period between January and April this year alone, the platform has recorded an impressive GHS25.47 billion+ from almost 3 million transactions already. Per the trend, the figure is likely to cross the GHS80 billion mark this year, which is over $6.75 billion, more than two times the $3 billion bailout Ghana is seeking from IMF.

Per the figures, the total number of state agencies which are processing live payments on the Ghana.gov platform are 121, comprising of 21 from the first year, 2020; 29 from years 2021; 69 from last year and just 2 new entrants this year.

But that figure is part of a much bigger number of 1,137 agencies, which are technically able to process payments but some have not started processing live payments yet. Meanwhile there are some 23 agencies on the platform, which are unable to process payments yet.

The Ghana.gov platform was developed by three Ghanaian fintechs – ExpressPay, Hubtel and IT Consortium and was launched by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in June 2020.

At the launch, the Vice President noted that the platform was poised to chase out what he called the “demons and principalities” from the state revenue collection system in that it eliminates all bribe-taking middle men and allows persons seeking government services to pay online with mobile money or bank cards and wait their turn to be served.

The finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta also stated at the launch that between May and October 2021, the platform raked in GHS35 billion, which was just six months after it went fully live, following a pilot from 2020.

The Minister also lauded the three local fintech firms who built and continue to manage the platform and recommended them for national awards, saying that they have built what promises to be the panacea to the country’s revenue collection challenges.