Demand ECOWAS Brown Card certificate from insurers • Bureau urges vehicle owners
THE Chairman of the Council of the Ghana National Bureau of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme, Frederick Adotey Saka, has urged motorists in the country to insist on their ECOWAS Brown Card insurance certificates whenever they purchase motor insurance policies.
He said the cover became automatically active once the motor insurance policy was issued, making the certificate an essential document for motorists travelling within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sub-region.
“The scheme’s primary objective is to ensure prompt and fair compensation for victims of motor accidents caused by non-resident motorists travelling within ECOWAS member states,” he stated.
Speaking at the scheme’s 44th anniversary celebration in Accra last Friday, Mr Saka, who is also the Managing Director of Vanguard Assurance, explained that the ECOWAS Brown Card Scheme was established on May 29, 1982, in Cotonou, Benin, to support ECOWAS’ vision of economic integration and the free movement of people, goods and services across member states.
He explained that the Brown Card served as a common third-party liability insurance cover for visiting motorists who may cause death, bodily injury or property damage in another member state.
Mr Saka explained that the Ghana National Bureau, established in 1987 as the scheme’s operational secretariat in Ghana, was responsible for handling cross-border claims and issuing Brown Card certificates through licensed motor insurance companies across the country.
Over the years, the bureau had developed strong partnerships with key stakeholders, including the National Insurance Commission (NIC), the Ghana Insurers Association (GIA), the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, Borderless Alliance, the Ghana Shippers’ Authority and various transport associations.
Milestone
Highlighting major milestones, Mr Saka disclosed that the bureau had collaborated with the NIC to integrate Brown Card policies into the Motor Insurance Database (MID 2), stating that the initiative was aimed at digitising Brown Card certificates and improving verification processes.
He further encouraged motorists to ensure they received their Brown Card certificates with every motor insurance policy, whether comprehensive or third-party, from their insurance companies, brokers and agents.
“It is already included in your motor insurance premium. The risk covered under the ECOWAS Brown Card can arise both within Ghana and beyond our borders,” he emphasised.
CSR
The 44th Anniversary of the ECOWAS Brown Card Scheme is being commemorated by National Bureaux across ECOWAS member states to raise awareness of the Scheme’s vital role in protecting road users throughout the sub-region.
As part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) 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 MTTD’s operational effectiveness in managing road traffic incidents and ensuring public safety.
In collaboration with the Police MTTD, a team led by the General Secretary of the Ghana National Bureau, Richard Sabah Eshun, embarked on a public sensitisation campaign along the Amasaman–Nsawam highway.
The awareness campaign on the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme is part of the bureau’s ongoing efforts to deepen public understanding of the scheme and strengthen protection for road users across the ECOWAS region.
