Gaborone — The use of the pula card will improve service delivery and give citizens access to payments anytime, anywhere without having to travel long distances or waiting in long queues.
This was said by Permanent Secretary to the President Mr Carter Morupisi when officially launching the pula card in Gaborone on September 24.
"This government pula card is a visa card that will enable one to cash or transact across all visa automated teller machines and point of sale machines worldwide," said Mr Morupisi.
In addition, the card would be a great travel companion as it could hold the currency of one's destination, especially currencies such as the Pound sterling, US dollar, ZAR and Euro, he said.
Mr Morupisi said despite the good uptake of online financial services in Botswana, a 2014 financial inclusion survey indicated that 50 per cent of Batswana did not have access to financial services.
He said it therefore gave him great pleasure to launch the card as one of the payment methods available to suppliers of government goods and services.
"Some of these unbanked Batswana receive financial assistance from government in the form of flagship programmes such as ISPAAD, Old Age Pension and Destitute Allowance to mention but a few.
Currently, these unbanked Batswana are paid by means of cash or cheques, whose security is often compromised," he said.
Mr Morupisi noted that there were only 33 revenue offices countrywide which compelled most public officers to leave their work stations during working hours to collect or remit cash to revenue offices, adding that this had negatively impacted on service delivery.
"Revenue collectors and paying officers should be able to receive or disburse to government clients without necessarily leaving their stations," he said.
He said it was against this backdrop that government had decided to introduce the pula card.
"This is upon realisation that a prepaid card is one of the fastest growing payment solutions for organisations globally," he said.
Mr Morupisi however said given the current infrastructure and type of clients or businesses served by government, it would adopt a gradual approach to the implementation of the initiative.
He said 'once the card is launched,' it would be extended beyond typical consumer payments to include travel expense management (per-diem in case of public officers), government disbursements to flagship programme beneficiaries (ISPAAD, LIMID), payroll, social benefits (pensions) as well as students' allowances.
Mr Morupisi said the launch of the card signified government's commitment to making it a success.
"I also wish to extend my gratitude to Banc ABC for partnering with government on this important journey, especially in empowering Batswana in rural areas," he said.
For his part, Banc ABC managing director Mr Kgotso Bannaalotlhe said they had committed themselves to solving the challenges of financial inclusion.
He said the opportunity to work with the Accountant General's Office on the government pula card project brought together their three biggest beliefs that had driven their success as a bank.
"We are working hard to be the best card issuer in Botswana, we believe in inclusive partnerships; others can reach where we can't and when we collaborate we are all better for it and we believe inclusion does not mean lesser banking," said Mr Bannaalotlhe.
Touching on some of the benefits of the card, Mr Bannaalotlhe said they included immediate access to money, making payments in one's own comfort, reducing the risk of getting into debt as one only spent the amount in the card and people could keep track of their spending.
"I want to thank government for choosing to partner with BancABC to bring this innovation in payments to customers and stakeholders of government and we look forward to the success of the pula card," he said.
The government pula card is a prepaid type where cash is loaded up front and it can be obtained at Ministry of Finance and Economic Development-Office of the Accountant General and revenue offices across the country.
Source : BOPA
