24 April 2008
Lagos — In 2007, 4,916 Nigerians died in auto accidents while 20,944 were injured and hospitalised in a total number of 9,132 accidents. Out of the hospitalised, many could not afford to pay their medical bills. However, this may be a thing of the past as government introduces a new insurance policy regime that will care for those maimed in accidents. Damilola Oyedele writes
A visit to any of the accident and emergency unit of any general or teaching hospital would reduce the chicken hearted to tears at the plight of people who were victims of road traffic accidents. Usually they stay longer in the hospital, waiting for financial succour to come so that they can get adequate treatment.
In 2007, according to statistics made available by the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), a total of 9,132 accidents were recorded with 4,916 deaths while 20,944 were injured. Most of those injured are usually victims of hit and run accidents.
Worried by their predicament which robs the nation of its human resources, the Federal Government recently introduced the OSCAR project under SERVICOM to ensure that victims of road accidents receive insurance settlements to enable them get medical assistance.
Most Nigerians are not aware of the existing laws which make it an offence to drive an uninsured vehicle. The penalty for not being properly insured is a fine of N250, 000, or one year imprisonment or both. Usually vehicle insurance ought to cover third party liability and is handled by touts for a paltry sum of N500 just to get road users past law enforcement agents. This kind of insurance has proven to be worthless and it is lamentable that agencies involved in road use regulations, especially the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) are guilty of such unscrupulous practices to unsuspecting motorists.
This kind of insurance has proven to be as worthless as the piece of paper it is written on, as most motorists discover that either they hit another car or when hit by someone, nothing can be claimed and they have to bear the financial cost of fixing their damaged cars or worse, damaged limbs.
The OSCAR project under the supervision of SERVICOM Coordinator, Mr. Ad'Obe Obe will provide assistance to families in obtaining police collision investigation report, and any death or disability certification requirement for insurance claims and will also monitor the progress of a claim to ensure timely settlement.
The OSCAR shop comprises of four desks which are being manned by the Nigeria Police, National Insurance Commission, FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, and the Legal Aid Council, where accident victims would be given all the necessary assistance to process and access their insurance claims.
To this end, the Federal Government recently ordered the insurance companies to activate the 1997 maverick fund which is 20 per cent of premium collected for third party insurance to take care of victims of hit and run accidents. It is believed that the money accrued is somewhere in the region of N5billion since its establishment in 1988, and it is anticipated that it would go a long way in providing succour to accident victims.
Other stakeholders, the National Union of Road Transport Workers and National Association of Road Owners have called for an over hauling of the insurance sector and cooperation from all stakeholders. They, however challenged National Insurance commission(NAICOM), to live up to its responsibility by ensuring standards in the sector, while appealing to the coordinator of SERVICOM to empower OSCAR to make a huge differences in the plight of accident victims in the country.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe recently launched the OSCAR Insurance Check Squad to ensure (initially through persuasion) that motorists have valid insurance for their vehicles. Represented by the Permanent Secretary to the SGF, Akeem Baba Ahmed, the SGF lamented that 85 per cent of cars that ply Nigerian roads have insurances that are as useless as the piece of paper on which they are written and usually motorists suffer to pay hospitals bills or fix their vehicles when accidents occur.
The list of 40 valid insurance companies was made available for potential clients to make sure they have proper coverage because as Baba-Ahmed puts it "when you put your wife and children in your vehicle, it's like you have put your whole life in it. You owe it to yourself to make sure that they are adequately protected." The squad was made up of men of the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO), the Nigeria Police and the Federal Road Safety Commission. However, the absence of the FRSC was conspicuous and the only explanation given for that was that they decided to pull out at the last minute. Whatever the reason is, it is very important for the FRSC to be a part and parcel of the OSCAR project in its entirety as a body that seeks to provide relief for accident victims.
The fear however is that with the extent of corruption in the Nigerian Police Force, and to an extent the VIO, another reason or excuse for extortion from motorists has been created. But Baba-Ahmed urged them, especially the Police to make use of the opportunity of being in the squad to re-create the image of the Nigerian Police in the eyes of Nigerians. The use of polite language, education of motorists on the need for valid insurance and persuasion would go a long way to change the general perception of the Police.
Recently, a journalist with one of the radio stations in Abuja narrated her ordeal to THISDAY. Having renewed her vehicle papers in January, she proudly presented it to the policemen who stopped her for checks last week. The policeman told her that the papers were fake and crossed lines on the papers. This she said, infuriated her, and she told him she "just renewed them in January at the VIO office in Mabushi area of the FCT, for the sum of N3, 500. Why won't I trust the VIO which is a government agency and who issued me receipt for the payment?" she queried. She added that, the officer later told her about the OSCAR project and advised her to get proper papers. According to her, she had never heard about the project until that day. THISDAY checks also showed that many residents of the FCT have not heard about the project which started in October, 2007.
Makes one wonder what service or the relevant agencies are doing about these allegations which are continually thrown at the VIO. There is a need for an intensified campaign about the project as not many Nigerians stop to read posters which are mostly displayed at the hospitals and transport agencies' offices.
If these observations are not attended to, the Federal Government might find itself embroiled in various suits which would be brought against it by motorists who have paid for their vehicle papers at the VIO office and duly issued receipts for the payment.
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