The organisation urged the BoG to reform ATM-related practices
CUTS International, a consumer advocacy and policy research organisation, has called on the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to address what it describes as “unfair” charges imposed by banks at Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).
The organisation urged the BoG to take immediate steps to reform ATM-related practices to protect consumers from undue financial burdens.
A statement signed by Appiah Kusi Adomako, the West Africa Regional Director of CUTS International, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the organisation had noted the unreliability of ATM services and the imposition of hidden charges, which were undermining the core benefits of ATMs.
ATMs were originally introduced to provide 24-hour banking access and reduce congestion in banking halls.
“It is deeply unfair to charge people extra for using another bank’s ATM when their own bank’s machine is broken or out of cash. Consumers should not be penalised for problems they did not create,” the statement said.
The call follows the release of the 2025 State of the Ghanaian Consumer Report, a comprehensive study conducted by CUTS International, which surveyed 1,795 consumers across all 10 regions of Ghana.
According to the report, 71 per cent of respondents experienced ATM-related challenges in the past three months, including technical failures, power outages, and cash shortages.
Of the number, 44 per cent were compelled to use third-party ATMs, and 68 per cent reported not being informed of additional charges before completing their transactions.
The statement described the lack of transparency in disclosing fees as a major concern, noting that in more advanced financial systems, ATMs typically displayed all relevant charges before a transaction was finalised, allowing users to make informed decisions.
“In Ghana, however, many consumers only discover these charges through debit alerts or monthly bank statements. This practice contravenes the BoG’s Consumer Protection Directives,” the statement said.
“Banks have a responsibility to be transparent. Every Ghanaian deserves to know exactly what they are being charged when using an ATM,” it added.
While welcoming the BoG’s recent pledge to review ATM-related fees, CUTS International proposed four key reforms to ensure fairness and enhance consumer protection.
These include mandating banks to provide at least four free third-party ATM withdrawals per month, especially when a customer’s bank ATM was out of service, and phasing out monthly ATM card maintenance fees, particularly for customers who used only their bank’s ATMs.
The rest are to require ATMs to disclose all applicable charges before transactions are completed to ensure transparency and enforce minimum uptime standards for ATMs, with regulatory penalties or customer compensation where banks failed to maintain reliable ATM services.