Insurance taskforce enforces law in Tamale

There was drama in the Northern Regional capital, Tamale, yesterday, when members of the National Insurance Commission’s (NIC) national taskforce stormed some shops, stores and construction sites in some areas of the metropolis to enforce the compulsory insurance of private commercial property.

Those who had no insurance cover for their properties but heard the taskforce was arresting defaulters rushed to insurance companies in the metropolis to insure their properties to avoid arrest.

Some property owners who heard that workers at their sites had been picked up by the taskforce also rushed to take the insurance and chase the taskforce team with motorbikes to show them their certificates for their workers to be released.

Others, however, pleaded with the team that they were willing to pay double of what they were required to pay by the insurance companies.

Law

The Private Commercial Building Insurance Law, Act 724, 2006, makes it mandatory for commercial buildings both completed and under construction to be covered by an insurance policy.

The National Taskforce on Compulsory Fire Insurance was inaugurated in October 2014 to enforce sections 183 and 184 of the Insurance Law on Compulsory Insurance of Private Commercial Buildings.

The membership of the taskforce is drawn from the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana National Fire Service, the Insurance Industry and the NIC.

Tour

The taskforce first visited a five-storey building under construction opposite the Tamale Sub-Metro office, followed by OG Investment Ghana, Kanawu Plaza, Nasant Ventures and Walji Lodge.

Other buildings included Melcom Ghana Limited, Fatih College, God Cares Family Hospital, Wemah Guesthouse and a building under construction adjacent to the GOIL filling station.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic after the exercise, the Chairman of the National Taskforce, Mr Joseph Bentor, said the exercise was to create awareness of the need for property owners to insure their properties to ensure the safety of their occupants and those working on them.

“In spite of the several benefits that come with insuring one’s property, many property owners do not see the need to insure their property,” he said.

Enforcement

According to Mr Bentor, uninsured commercial buildings did not only pose a threat to the property owners and those who patronise activities there, but those who pass by such facilities as well.

He, therefore, advised property owners to comply with the provisions in the law to ensure the safety of their own property and the lives of those who patronised their facilities.

The Northern Regional Assistant Divisional Fire Officer (ADO), Mrs Paulina Jatuat, said she was unhappy about the number of facilities in the metropolis that did not have fire certificates.

She said most of those who had fire certificates had not renewed them after the expiry of those documents.