Bullion van robbery: BoG told to ban phones in banks, implement fiat to overhaul cash-in-transit measures
The Bank of Ghana has been charged to implement a fiat leading to overhaul of activities of cash-in-transit and related ones as well as ban use of mobile phones by employees of banks and deposit taking institutions during working hours.
According to Security Analyst, Adam Bonaa, the Central Bank must act fast to reduce the bullion van attacks by armed robbery.
“The Bank of Ghana would have to ensure that all parties involved follow a certain procedure. And one of it has to do with the fact that looking at the increasing rate of bullion van attacks, you would want to look at who you are letting in to be part of the movement of cash.”
“These people, how do they communicate; one of the solutions I have looked at is the fact that once you are supposed to be transiting money, you are not supposed to be using any portable telephony device that is tablet, mobile phone that belongs to you or any gadget that can be connected to the internet. I have recommended that it should actually even be extended to all banking staff just as its done outside the country in advanced economies”, he added.
Armed robbery attacks on bullion vans appear to be unending as a bullion van was allegedly attack this week with the robbers bolting away with about ¢100,000.
There are already concerns that some staff of the banks could be aiding this robbery, serving as informants to the robbers.
Mr. Bonaa wants a law that will ban use of mobile phones by employees of banks and other deposit taking institutions during working hours, but rather use only phones provided by the financial institutions.
This move he believes will help reduce the number of attacks on bullion vans.
“I have recommended that it should actually be extended to all banking staff. So if you are a banking staff, just as you go to outside the country [advanced economies], you have two mobile phones – one of it belongs to you and one of it is given to you the day you are employed by the organisation. So the moment you come in, the one that belongs to you is turned off and kept in a safe locker until you close from work; therefore when you are making calls, the communication is coordinated and monitored.”
“If you wanted to speak to a family, your mobile phone will be given to you on a request. If there is an emergency, you can still you use the office telephone or device to receive or dial the emergency call. But, if you think there is something private, your phone will be given to you but the truth is that ABCD went on, so when there is trouble everybody knows the time you did or received the call. But at the moment, banking staff in Ghana are holding two or three or more phones, and its worrying”.
source: myjoyonline
