Ghana Insurers Association (GIA), the umbrella trade body for all licenced insurance companies operating in the country, has joined global insurers to celebrate International Insurance Awareness Day, which kicked-off on Monday, June 28, 2021.
Ghana Insurers are celebrating this year-long awareness day under the theme ‘The Carnage and Indiscipline on our Roads must STOP – Every Life Matters’. It was hosted through a webinar and linked up with about 300 insurers and non-insurers.
The webinar was declared open by Ghana’s Commissioner for Insurance, Dr. Justice Ofori. Addressing participants, Aretha Duku – President GIA and Managing Director-Ghana Union Assurance Company, informed participants that this year’s International Insurance Awareness Day is a day set aside to remind policyholders of the need to constantly check the adequacy of their covers.
“However, people must be alive before they can enjoy the benefit of their insurance; it is the reason that GIA remains concerned about the increasing deaths on our roads through reckless driving, and is therefore dedicated to launching a vigorous campaign against indiscipline and reckless driving on our roads,” the GIA president declared.
She said Ghana is fortunate to have seasoned industry presenters to expatiate on the subject, and will provide Ghanaians with tips on reducing the menace, if not eliminating same.
Recalling an experience on May 19, 2021: “A mother, her two-year-old daughter and a hawker were knocked down by a speeding KIA truck at Amanfrom on the Accra – Kasoa Highway. According to the Amanfrom district Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, the mother of the two-year old child was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital, while the other victims were in a critical condition due to severe injuries sustained during the accident”.
It was further reported that this victim was crossing the road at a zebra-crossing when the unfortunate incident occurred. The driver of the KIA truck is at large after fleeing from the accident scene.
“What happens to the education of that two-year-old child, assuming she survived?” This was the question being asked. She pointed out that as insurers they provide covers such as Third Party and Comprehensive Motor Policies to indemnify the risk associated with these accidents. Additionally, Workmen Compensation, Group Life Policies and other Life Insurance Policies may help reduce the financial burden associated with deaths through these accidents.
Victor Obeng-Adeyiah, Managing Director of Unique Insurance and Chairman of the Non-Life Insurance Council of the association, pointed out that people must be alive before they can enjoy the benefits of insurance – saying it is for this reason that the GIA remains concerned about increasing deaths on our roads through reckless driving; hence, the year-long celebration is dedicated to the theme.
Other speakers at the conference included; David Osafo Adonteng, Director of Planning and programmes of the National Road Safety Commissiom who touched on statistics of road accidents; Supt. A.K Obeng, Director of Education and Research, who dwelt on enforcement so far; Kwame Koduah Atuahene, Head Regulations-Inspections and Compliance from the Ministry of Transport presented on Sanctions for Reckless Driving; and Mabel Nana Nyakoa Porbley, Managing Director- Saham Insurance, and Public Relations and External Liaison Committee Member of the GIA, moderated the programme.
