Joseph Bentor interacting with a property owner
The National Insurance Company (NIC) enforcement taskforce on Tuesday extended its operations to Odorkor and its environs, where it arrested eight property owners for failing to comply with mandatory insurance cover requirements for their properties.
The exercise was carried out by a task force comprising personnel from NIC, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) and the Ghana Police Service (GPS).
Defaulted entities visited at the time of inspection were New Global Pharmaceuticals Limited, Sunda International, Marshall College, CCT Fisherman House, Homefood Processing Company Limited, Whole Division of Ernest Chemist at Odorkor and another commercial property near Darkuman.
Those arrested were taken to the CID headquarters for processing after which they would be put before court after failing to make amends in 48 hours after processing.
The exercise was in accordance with sections 183 and 184 of the Insurance Acts, 2006 (Act 724) that require a person who constructs or causes to be constructed a commercial building to insure the liability in respect of construction risks with a registered insurer.
The law also states that every commercial building which it defined as “a privately owned building to which members of the public have ingress and egress for the purpose of obtaining educational or medical service for the purpose of recreation or transaction of business” should be insured with an insurer against the hazards of collapse, fire, earthquake, storm and flood, and an insurance policy issued for it.
In an interview, the chairman of the taskforce, Joseph Bentor, explained that the NIC does not take delight in apprehending, harassing or prosecuting property owners.
He however mentioned that the lackadaisical manner of owners in complying with the mandatory directives left the commission with no option than to effect the arrest of owners or occupiers who had defaulted.
He therefore urged the public especially property owners to save themselves the embarrassment and inconvenience associated with enforcement exercise by acquiring the necessary permit.
The Assistant Director in charge of safety at the GNFS, Divisional Commander Grade II, Ato Korsah, also warned against adamancy on the part of property owners to display their certificates after they had acquired them – an act tantamount to an offence.
By Issah Mohammed