Mr Michael Kofi Andoh, Acting Commissioner, National Insurance Commission (NIC), has urged motor underwriting companies within the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme to ensure prompt payments of cross-border accident claims. He said proper reinsurance arrangements were essential to sustaining the successes chalked and guaranteeing timely settlements as socioe-conomic activities continued to increase. Mr Andoh said this at the 39th General Assembly Ordinary Session of the Council of Bureaux of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme where cross-border insurers and other stakeholders deliberated on how to ensure movements of people, goods and services within a reliable insurance framework. The ECOWAS Brown Card is a third party motor insurance across the sub- region. The essence is to promote vehicular movement within the sub-region without worrying about the risks of having huge liabilities. These liabilities are transferred to the insurance companies through the ECOWAS Brown Card. The Acting Commissioner, in his address, said there had been significant progress in the financing of cross-border accident claims, especially with the advent of automatic Brown Card issuance which had proven to be more efficient. Having said that, he said all delays sometimes experienced during transactions and compensations ought to be taken off. 'We call upon the motor underwriting companies to honor their obligations with the same zeal, irrespective of where the claim originates. Discrimination has no place in our operation, and we must always uphold the tenets of equity and fairness,' Mr Andoh said. Mr Henry Bukari, Chairman, Ghana National Bureau, said the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme had become the hallmark of regional integration, facilitating seamless trade and movement within West Africa. 'The function of a national bureau is basically to coordinate claims that emanate from our free movement within the sub-region. If a vehicle from Burkina Faso is involved in an accident in Ghana, the Ghana Bureau will work on the ir issues from police report, to hospital to the claims itself,' he said. Madam Mavis Boadi Nkansah, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, who represented Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the sector Minister, urged the National Bureau to explore all avenues available to sensitise communities on the advantages of obtaining and utilising the Brown Card. She said though the scheme had faced challenges like default in the acquisition of the certificate, delays in the settlement of claims, inadequate finding for the national bureau and lack of public education and awareness at some points, it had chalked successes. 'I am certain that many community citizens know the free movement protocol and upon the successful implementation, the Foreign Affairs Ministry continues to liaise with the Ghana Bureau of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme to embark on a sensitisation campaign to raise awareness to use the Brown Card,' Madam Nkansah said. Mr Winfred Kofi Dodzi, Secretary General, ECOWAS Brown C ard Insurance Scheme, said: 'The claims payment is very efficient and the moment there's an accident, the issuing bureau and handling bureau agree on the transaction process and payment is promptly paid. We issue a cheque without any hindrance.' Source: Ghana News Agency