ECOWAS Brown Card Scheme commemorates 44th anniversary

By Elliot Williams

Last week, the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme’s Ghana National Bureau in Accra commemorated the 44^th anniversary of the scheme’s commencement.  The celebrations were hosted by the Executive Council of the Ghana National Bureau at the conference hall of Insurance House (the head office of Ghana’s Insurers Association Head office on behalf of the Council of Bureaus of ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme, as part of similar commemorative activities in all the National Bureaus in member countries.

The event brought together the insurance scheme’s various stakeholder groups in Ghana including chieftains of some insurance companies, industry regulators, representatives of the insured and executives of the Ghana National Bureau itself led by both its Chairman, Fred Saka and its CEO. The event was held under the theme: “Digitalisation as a tool for effective cross-border claims management.”

The ECOWAS Brown Card scheme was started on May 29, 1982 when its underpinning protocol was adopted in Cotonou, Benin Republic, by the governments of the ECOWAS member states. Anchored on the Community’s central objective of economic integration and the free movement of persons, goods and services across the sub region, the Brown Card scheme aims to facilitate prompt and fair compensation to victims of motor accidents caused by non-resident motorists travelling to and from other ECOWAS member states resulting in deaths, injuries and property damage. The Scheme therefore serves as common insurance cover against Third Party Liabilities that visiting motorists may incur while traveling to other member states.

Welcoming guests and stakeholders to last week’s 44^th  anniversary commemoration, Fred Saka, the CEO of Vanguard Assurance, who is also the Chairman of the Scheme’s Ghana National Bureau noted that it was established as an operational secretariat in 1987, and it is primarily responsible for the handling of cross border claims for third party motor liability insurance and issues Brown Cards to motor insurance underwriting companies in Ghana.

Enthused Fred Saka: “Over the years the Bureau has developed strong relationships with various stakeholders including the National Insurance Commission (NIC), the Ghana Insurers Association, the Motor Transport and Traffic Division of the Ghana Police Service, Borderless Alliance, Ghana Shippers Authority, Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders and Ghana Haulage Transport Drivers/Owners Association among others.”

He also noted that the Bureau has collaborated with the NIC to integrate the Brown Card into the Motor Insurance Database (MID) system to digitize its certificates.

He used the opportunity to advise the insuring public to “insist on their Brown Card certificate anytime they take a motor policy be it a comprehensive or a third party policy, since it is paid for in their motor premium.”

The speech by Ghana’s Insurance Commissioner, Dr Abiba Zakariah was delivered on her behalf by Stella Jonah, Head of Market Strategy and Innovation, NIC.

She noted that the ECOWAS Brown Card Scheme remains one of the key instruments promoting regional integration, free movement and protection for motorists across member states, providing a unified motor insurance framework for cross-border travel that has significantly contributed to improving confidence, safety and cooperation within the sub-region.

Applauding the choice of theme for the event she asserted that: “The adoption of digital solutions in claims management has the potential to improve efficiency, transparency, speed and accessibility. More importantly, it can help address some of the longstanding challenges associated with cross-border claims administration, including delays in verification, documentation and compensation processes. As regulators and industry stakeholders we must continue to embrace innovation and strengthen collaboration to ensure that policyholders across the ECOWAS region enjoy seamless and reliable insurance protection wherever they travel.”

Solidarity messages were delivered at the event by Dr Kingsley Kwabason, President of the Ghana Insurers Association, Ibrahim Musah, Executive Secretary and Principal Spokesman of the Joint Association of Public Transport Unions in Ghana; MTTD – Motor Transport and Traffic Division of the Ghana police Service ACP Alexander Obeng, Head of Education, Research and Training.

Bureau donates logistics to Police MTTD

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, the Ghana National Bureau donated 300 body bags and 200 reflective vests to the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service. The donation is expected to enhance the Department’s operational effectiveness in managing road traffic incidents and ensuring public safety.

Public Education Campaign on Road Safety

In collaboration with the Police MTTD, a team led by the General Secretary of the Ghana National Bureau, Mr. Richard Sabah Eshun, embarked on a public sensitisation campaign along the Amasaman–Nsawam highway.

The exercise provided an opportunity to educate both local and foreign drivers on the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme and the procedures to follow in the event of an accident involving a foreign vehicle, whether as a victim or a responsible party.

The awareness campaign forms part of the Bureau’s ongoing efforts to deepen public understanding of the Scheme and strengthen protection for road users across the ECOWAS region.

 

 

 

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