Mobile money vendor fumed as they flooded the MTN headquarters at Greater Accra as the Telecommunication Network blocks their sims for allegedly entry of wrong details of users ID cards.
The MTN Ghana had earlier on given a directive which stated that starting April 2021, all subscribers are required to present one of the following cards to the Merchant before any mobile money related transactions could be processed;
1. Volter’s ID
2. Passport
3. Ghana Card
4. Driving License
5. SSNIT ID
6. NHIS
Meanwhile in accordance to the new development, all MOMO users were advised to cross check their details before April 1, 2021, in other to avoid any inconveniences that may occur due to “incorrect details”.
As the implementation of this directive started, much was not heard until recently as a lot of Merchants stood up angrily against MTN Ghana for what they describe as “Incompetence” from the side of the Telecommunication Network – MTN.
What Happened
They (Merchants) explained that the MTN Ghana has blocked their MoMo merchant Sims claiming that they have entered wrong details of subscribers ID.
Meanwhile those transactions went through and the monies were retrieve successfully so these merchants state that they do not understand the reason why even after the details were incorrect yet still the transaction was allowed by the Telecommunication.
Those Merchants claims that the fault if any is to be blamed on the Telecommunication and not them them(merchants). There were over 300 Merchants identified at the headquarters of the Telecommunication company this morning in Accra.
Inconveniences
Under normal circumstances any new directive should be associated with workshop for implementation personnel but that wasn’t so in the case of this ID card submission for MoMo transactions.
“…There was no orientation or whatsoever for us amid this whole thing, so why should we be blamed for any inconveniences and further blocking of our Sims Which has money loaded on,” a merchant cried out.
WHY THE INITIATION OF THE NEW DIRECTIVE
The move as stated by MTN Ghana was a way of curbing the high prevalence of fraud on the MoMo platform.
It is quite obvious on how “fraudsters” are now a-days on the neck of people especially on the MOMO platform. There has being a lot of complaints which I personally am a testimony of how fraudsters call to claim what does not belong to them.
Meanwhile what we are seeing now is a total opposite to what the Telecommunication company claimed as the reason for this new development. A merchant even claimed that Telecommunication company (MTN) is accomplice of the fraud activities associated with the MoMo, although alleged.
“…I have a lot of e-cash on my wallet but it is blocked now, and the money is even not for me but a loan from the bank… I truly believe that they[MTN Ghana] are the ones frauding us,” One merchant exclaimed.
Meanwhile the MTN Ghana has said that it will activate the blocked sim again but for only 24 hours and then block it again.
