The National Insurance Commission (NIC), the Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate (MTTD) Unit of the Ghana Police Service, and the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) have embarked on an exercise to clamp down on drivers who possess fake motor insurance stickers or do not have motor insurance at all.
30 out of over 500 vehicles that were inspected had fake motor insurance stickers, others had no insurance at all and others had other road traffic issues.
Justice Peprah Agyei, Western Regional Manager of the National Insurance Commission, speaking to the B&FT, noted that most people drive on the roads with no insurance for their vehicles.
“Others drive with fake motor insurance stickers. We cannot count the number of people who have suffered from being victims of a motor crash with fake motor insurance or uninsured vehicles,” he said.
He pointed out that every family in Ghana may have experienced this in one way or the other.
“People have lost parents, children, siblings and other relatives through a motor crash. Where will these people receive compensation from?” he asked.
“We are usually interested in statistics; that is, fifteen people died and fourteen sustained various degrees of injuries. We should go beyond the statistics and do a proper audit of the people who have died and we will know the valuable human resources we have lost. Some of these people were also breadwinners for their families and their death bring huge costs to the nation,” he added.
Mr. Agyei explained that: “The motor third-party insurance cover pays on behalf of the insured or the driver in respect of a legal liability to third parties resulting from an accident caused by his or her vehicle”.
According to him, the third-party policy covers the death of or bodily injury to any person, or damage to property belonging to someone other than the insured, and then the death of or bodily injury to a member of the insured household or any other occupants.
Also, he said the policy pays compensation to the driver for bodily injury or death.
Chief Inspector Sarkodie Lawrence of the Sekondi Division of MTTD, in charge of the operation, gave the assurance that the Police is there to ensure that the law is enforced to protect lives and properties.
“We are always ready to help and collaborate with the National Insurance Commission on its activities and mandate,” he said.
