The Commissioner of Insurance-National Insurance Commission (NIC), Dr. Justice Ofori, has underscored the need for ensuring sanity and protection of lives on the country’s roads. According to him, the onus does not only lie on vehicle owners, drivers and road users, but is also a core responsibility of the Police and Insurance institutions.
Delivering a speech on the Commissioner’s behalf, Acting Head of Supervision at the NIC, Mrs. Stella Jonah – during an orientation of National Service Personnel posted to serve under the Urban Traffic Management (UTM) module of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service at the National Police Training School, Accra – Dr. Ofori noted: “Ensuring sanity and protection of lives on our roads is legally and mandatorily provided by two entities: the Police Service and Insurance industry”.
The NIC Commissioner pointed that: “Globally, the practice and process of insurance is constantly changing, and in Ghana innovation and digitisation have contributed to this change”.
This is in line with government’s digitisation agenda that birthed the Motor Insurance Database (MID), which was implemented in January 2020.
“The objective of the MID is to curb the menace of vehicles with fake motor insurance stickers plying our roads, thus endangering lives and property. The Commission, in order to ensure effective implementation of the MID, relied heavily on the MTTD,” he disclosed.
“The conduct of random checks across the country, which were facilitated by the USSD short code *920*57# together with the use of GoTa phones, has made the MID a roaring success; and the Commission has the Police MTTD to thank for its commitment to this national cause,” Dr. Ofori added.
On his part, the Director-General of the Police MTTD, DCOP Mr. Francis Aboagye Nyarko, commended the NIC for its support toward the orientation and called on the National Service Personnel to “be disciplined in the discharge of their duties as we approach the festive season”.
He stated: “The MTTD as a law enforcement agency is poised to reduce the level of carnage and traffic congestion on our roads during the Christmas and New Year celebrations. The objective is to ensure that the yuletide is celebrated in sanity and serenity, devoid of any upsurge in traffic crashes.“The course,” he said, “will instil in you the needed knowledge to help carry out the monumental task ahead”.
The 3-day orientation programme on insurance and other aspects of road traffic regulations is supported by the NIC and facilitated by the Ghana Insurance College (GIC).
The orientation is centred on the basic principles of insurance and the MID, which is of utmost relevance to the personnel deployed to ensure motor traffic regulations-compliance and safety on our roads.
Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), Hon. Osei Assibey Antwi, used the occasion to encourage personnel to take advantage of this opportunity granted them to serve their country.
He further advised the participating service personnel to work hard, as some stand a chance of being enlisted into the Police Service at the end of their stint.
This, he believes, will also contribute to reducing the country’s level of unemployment. He cited the virtues of humility and time-consciousness as factors which will make them excel in life.
The NSS boss encouraged National Service Personnel posted across the country to acquaint and adapt themselves to the different beautiful cultures, regardless of wherever they have been posted to serve.
In October 2020, the NIC launched and commenced the nationwide training of National Service Personnel posted to the MTTD.
This was further extended to cover other security agencies including the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in the NIC’s insurance awareness-creation drive.
The continuous training modules have a broad objective of creating insurance awareness and providing an avenue for all to develop an interest toward a career in insurance.
