A group picture of participants at the forum
The Ghana National Bureau of the Ecowas Brown Card Insurance Scheme has held a forum to climax its first quarter public awareness educational drive campaign on the newly secured Ecowas Brown Card.
The forum, which was held on Thursday March 29, 2012, brought together representatives from various stakeholders drawn from the security agencies, transport owners, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ghana Shippers Council, Ministry of Justice, West African Trade Hub, Ministry of Road and Highways, National Road Safety Commission and the media.
Addressing the participants, Mr. Gabriel Glover, CEO/ Secretary General of the Ghana National Bureau of the Ecowas Brown Card Insurance Scheme said the new card was introduced because the old card was easily being forged.
“Fake cards have been discovered in the region and this has necessitated the introduction of a new card with improved security features,” he added.
The Ecowas Brown Card allows the free movement of people and goods within Ecowas member states. The card provides compensation to victims of motor vehicle accidents, which may occur while travelling within the sub-region.
It also provides insurance cover for third party liability risks relating to accidents resulting in death and/or bodily injury and property damage.
Mr. Glover said the new card has security features embedded in it which are not visible but can be seen only by those inspecting the card that will be using sophisticated gadgets to verify if the card is fake or not.
He said the new card is only one single leaflet “with significant security features that cannot be seen by the naked eye”.
He also disclosed that the new card was launched in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, on 12 October 2011 during the 28th Ordinary Session of the Council of Bureaux of the Ecowas Brown Card Insurance Scheme.
The Brown Card is said to be one of the most successful instruments of integration in Ecowas. He therefore called on the security personnel whose role is to protect citizens, and all other concerned individuals to embrace the card. He also urged the motorists not to cross the borders without acquiring a brown card from their insurance company because it is for their own protection.
The scheme was established for an automatic cover and the settlement of claims arising from cross-border road traffic.
