Third Party Insurance: Ensure compliance or face prosecution- Police, FRSC warn motorists

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have urged motorists in Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu States to ensure compliance of the Third Party Vehicle Insurance or face the wrath of the law.

They made the call while reacting to a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) survey on the compliance of the Enforcement of the Third Party Insurance by the police force.

The out-going Commissioner of Police (CP) in Anambra, Nnaghe Itam, said that the enforcement would commence one week from the day of inauguration.

The CP explained that the command and government agencies such as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Immigration, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Anambra State Road Traffic Management Agency (ARTMA), state Motor Licensing Officers, Vehicle Inspection Officers and others would collaborate to enforce the policy.

Itam vowed to embark on “Operation Velvet” which made it compulsory for both private and commercial vehicle owners in the state to show all documents relating to their vehicles on the roads for seven days.

The CP stated that the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, had for over three months, embarked on nationwide sensitisation on the imperatives of the third Party Insurance policy document and the need for all motorists to go for it.

He said that failure to acquire the document, the motorist would be arrested and prosecuted to pay fine or face jail term or both depending on the circumstances.

Itam cautioned its personnel against extortion during enforcement of the third party insurance cover among motorists in the state.

“The enforcement of the vehicle insurance policy certificate or document must not be seen as an avenue to extort motorists as those found wanting must be arrested and prosecuted accordingly,” he said.

According to him, a week grace would be given to both private and commercial vehicle owners after which the police in collaboration with the FRSC, motor licensing officials and those of the vehicle inspection officials to embark on Velvet Operation aimed at clamping down of defaulters.

Itam disclosed that aside ensuring adequate documentation of all vehicle particulars, the third party insurance document aimed at generating revenue for the federal government and states.

“Private vehicle owners are to pay N15,000, commercial vehicle owners will pay N20,000 while commercial tricycle operators and motorcycles would pay N5, 000 under the third party insurance policy.

“There will be a week of zero tolerance for road users in what is called a simultaneous licensing, registration, checking on vehicles with tinted glasses among others,” he said.

Deputy Corps Commander (DCC) FRSC in the state, Grace Ezeugwu, in charge of Motor Vehicle Administration said the procurement of the insurance document was necessary.

“It has become necessary at a time technology has made it possible for insurance firms to issue both third party and comprehensive insurance certificates or documents online,” he said.

Ezeugwu, who spoke on behalf of the state Sector Commander, Joyce Alexander, said that the benefit of the third party insurance policy certificate covered both the owner of vehicle and over one million liabilities of the owner.

She said that it helped to redeem some of the liabilities during a crash, adding that it was renewed annually online, and usually given immediately during vehicle registration.

The Sector Commander called on drivers to make it a point of duty to possess all the necessary vehicle documents before setting off.

On his part, the state Motor Registrar, Mr. Basil Onwuzurume lamented that Nigerians were always in a hurry to comply to do what was expected of them which was why they hardly get things done rightly about the insurance cover.

Onwuzurume said that in practical terms, once a vehicle was involved in a crash, relevant authority must conduct an inspection to know who should pay for it and therefore advised motorists to procure the third party and comprehensive insurance for their obvious benefits.

Mr Augustine Okoye, Head of Operations, Anambra Road Traffic Management Agency (ARTMA), who represented the Managing Director, Mr Emeka Okonkwo, pledged the collaboration of the outfit with all other bodies towards ensuring the safety of all road users in the state.

The State chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Humphrey Nwafor, in his remarks, called for government’s downward review of the money involved in obtaining the document, in view of its likely financial burden on workers.

Also Mr Joshua Imasuen, Public Relations Officer (PRO), Road Transport Employers Association, Anambra chapter, welcomed the insurance policy and assured government that the association would sensitise its members on the policy.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Kanayo Uzuegbu, has established an enforcement monitoring committee for a hitch-free statewide enforcement of the Third-Party Motor Vehicle Insurance Policy.

Uzuegbu said that the committee would see to “specification-tailored enforcement” meant to ensure that police personnel carry out their duty with respect to citizens’ fundamental human rights, shun extortion and corrupt practices.

The commissioner said that the committee would be headed by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge of the Command’s X-Squad.

He added that the committee would also ensure that the enforcement were performed professionally, with officers found violating professional standards duly sanctioned.

“Residents are encouraged to report any misconduct during this enforcement by police officers to the Command through the Complaint Response Unit (CRU) at 09160002486, 07059160602, or 08176255557,” he said.

Contributing, a Human Rights Lawyer, Mr Olu Omotayo, noted that the law on third-party insurance and its penalties had been in the law all these while; but the way police was leading its enforcement “is fundamentally wrong”.

Omotayo, the President of Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN), said that in the amended substantive law, “it is the Minister (of transport) that had been saddled with the power to make and enforce the Third-party Insurance Policy.

“It is not supposed to be a police affair. There is a recourse to refer to the ministry of transport. It should be a directive from the ministry coming from its minister.

“I think the Inspector-General of Police jumped the gun in this regard and did not look at the provisions of the law properly before acting,” he said.

Omotayo said that it would affect the socioeconomic well-being of Nigerians negatively, adding that it would likely increase transport fare.

“The government being representative of the people and given the people’s mandate to secure and see to their welfare should not leave the people to whims and caprices of the police,” he said.

Speaking, a safety expert, Dr Charles Akpabio, said that the benefits of obtaining a Third-Party Insurance Policy from a genuine insurance company outweighed any other excuse given against it ‘as safety and its indemnity remains supreme”.

Akpabio, a retired Deputy Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), noted that it would be out of reach for most Nigerians to have comprehensive vehicle insurance but that of Third-party Insurance should be subscribed by all.

“The annual Third-party insurance policy ensures that passengers/road users are compensated by insurance company against injuries or death resulting from vehicular accidents and medical expenses from such injuries,” Akpabio said.

Mr George Oji, an Enugu-based insurance company agent, said that the Third-Party Insurance cost about between N16,000 and N20,000; adding that its benefits and positive impact outweighed the amount to procure the policy for a year.

A commercial bus driver, Mr Ejike Madumere, urged the authorities to give motorists more time to comply with the policy, adding that it had not been easy going through fuel increment and current inflationary trend.

Madumere noted that most commercial drivers are yet to understand while the insurance policy had been made compulsory “as it is a known fact that insurance companies hardly honour their claims to pay indemnity during accidents.”

A commercial taxi driver, Mr Emma Onyeso, noted that the present administration had unleashed unfavourable policies and programmes against the transport system from its inception.

“The transport system/sector is already in the decline and would collapse; while millions of Nigerians engaged in the sector be pushed out in the labour market to suffer and take to crime,” Onyeso said.

The Police Command in Ebonyi on Wednesday, said it had intensified efforts on the enforcement of the mandatory Third Party Insurance in the state.

NAN reports that the command had set checkpoints across roads in the three senatorial districts to achieve full compliance in the state.

NAN check at Ishieke Junction along Abakaliki-Enugu Expressway and Abakaliki-Afikpo Road, shows a high level of enforcement by officers and men of the Nigeria Police in the state.

SP Joshua Ukandu, Spokesman of the Police Command in Ebonyi, told NAN that the command was ready to clamp down on driving with the third party insurance.

Ukandu noted that the insurance aimed at reinforcing road safety measures were targeted at both private and commercial vehicle owners.

“Yes, the enforcement is high. Our men have been fully mobilised and they are at the major roads in the three zones in the state.

“We have urged our men to steer clear of extortions. For now, in the state, no impoundment of any vehicle, but we are making sure that vehicle owners obtain the third party motor insurance,” the PPRO said.

On compassion, Ukandu said it was difficult to tell those that have been compensated due to accident and further urged the people to always approach the insurance company for any claims.

Also reacting to the development, stakeholders in the state expressed divergent views, begging the federal government to harness the economy.

They decried the emergency of the forceful enforcement and blamed the insurance industry of being insensitive to the plight of Nigerians.

Nnaemeka Oko, a driver with the Ebonyi Transport Services (EBOTRANS) said the immediate enforcement was worrisome.

“Of course, it will still increase the transportation cost, as the additional expenses will have to be passed on to the masses,” Oko added.

A Legal Practitioner, Mr Jude Nwovu, said the hike on the fees was too high, stressing that both government and the private sector had become highly inconsiderate of the people.

Mr Henry Igwe, Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in the state hailed the developments but decline further comments..

According to Igwe, well, it is FRSC that is in charge, I don’t have much to say on it. We will soon flag off number plate enforcement. (NAN)