Bank of Ghana to Open Cash Centres in Ho and Tamale to Bring Currency Services Closer to Ghanaians

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has announced plans to open new Cash Centres at its regional offices in Ho and Tamale, in a significant move aimed at decentralising currency services and making physical cash management more accessible to Ghanaians outside the Greater Accra region. The announcement was made by BoG Governor Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama at the launch of the Ghana Cedi Heritage Series Notes at Bank Square in Accra on Thursday, 12 November 2026.

Bringing Currency Services to the Regions

For many years, the bulk of Ghana's currency operations have been concentrated in Accra, leaving businesses, financial institutions and ordinary citizens in the Volta and Northern regions — among others — having to depend on lengthy supply chains to access banking and cash services. The new Cash Centres in Ho and Tamale are designed to change that reality.

According to Governor Asiama, the planned facilities will work alongside the Bank's existing Currency Processing Centres, which already deploy advanced banknote processing systems to sort, authenticate and withdraw unfit notes from circulation. The addition of regional Cash Centres is therefore not a standalone gesture but part of a coherent, nationwide infrastructure upgrade.

"To bring currency services closer to the people, the Bank plans to establish new Cash Centres at its Ho and Tamale Regional Offices," Dr Asiama stated at the event.

The Ho office serves the Volta Region, while the Tamale office is the gateway to the Northern, North East and Savannah regions — areas that have historically lagged in financial infrastructure relative to the south. Having dedicated cash management facilities in these cities could meaningfully reduce delays in note distribution, ease liquidity pressures on local banks and improve the quality of banknotes in circulation in those areas.

Technology at the Heart of the Reform

Beyond the physical expansion, the Bank of Ghana is also investing in digital tools to modernise how it manages currency behind the scenes. Dr Asiama revealed that the central bank is developing an in-house platform called the Enterprise Currency Operations Management Software, known as ECOMS, which will digitally connect the BoG with commercial banks across the country to streamline currency operations.

The move signals a recognition that efficient cash management in a modern economy requires not just physical infrastructure but robust data systems that allow real-time coordination between institutions. ECOMS is expected to reduce inefficiencies in how banknotes are ordered, distributed, tracked and withdrawn from circulation.

Importantly, the Governor was clear that these reforms are not a retreat from Ghana's digital payment ambitions. Rather, they reflect the view that physical cash and digital finance must coexist and be equally well-managed, particularly for the large segment of the population that still relies heavily on notes and coins for everyday transactions.

Why It Matters for Ghana

Ghana's financial inclusion drive has made considerable strides through mobile money and digital payments, yet cash remains the dominant medium of exchange for millions, especially in rural and peri-urban communities in the north and other underserved areas. Poor distribution of quality banknotes — resulting in torn, dirty or counterfeit notes circulating in local markets — is a persistent complaint in many parts of the country.

The establishment of Cash Centres in Ho and Tamale directly addresses this gap. Local banks and businesses in those regions will be better positioned to access freshly processed, authenticated notes without the delays and logistics costs of sourcing them from Accra. This can have a knock-on effect on market confidence, reduce the circulation of unfit notes and support everyday commerce.

• The initiative also signals the BoG's commitment to equitable economic infrastructure — ensuring that monetary policy and currency management are not Accra-centric exercises but reach all corners of the republic.
• With the Ghana Cedi Heritage Series Notes also having been launched on the same day, the central bank appears to be signalling a broader refresh of its currency ecosystem — combining new note designs, modern processing technology and expanded regional reach.
• For the people of Ho, Tamale and their surrounding communities, the practical benefits could be felt sooner than many might expect, provided implementation keeps pace with the ambition.

The Bank of Ghana has not yet announced a specific timeline for when the two new Cash Centres will become operational.