National President of NARTO, Alhaji Kassim Ibrahim Bataiya

By Nnamdi Duru

Standard Alliance Insurance Plc (SA Insurance), one of the non-life risks underwriting groups in the country has partnered the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) with a view to providing health insurance for the transporters.

The programme is expected to provide succour for drivers of heavy duty dry cargo trucks who are often involved in accidents causing serious injuries or in some cases, deaths without compensation for the victims’ families and dependants.

The three organisations recently flagged off a health insurance scheme for their members at Obajana, Kogi State; under a project tagged “NARTO/NURTW Dry Cargo Truck Drivers’ Accident Health Insurance Scheme”.

Addressing the transport workers during the ceremony, SA Insurance General Manager, e-Business, Mr. Bimbo Ogundokun noted that it was not the prayer of anyone to be involved in any accident.

He however added that in the event of accidents, there should be immediate assistance to get the victims back to shape.

Ogundokun assured members of the two unions that SA Insurance would respond promptly by payment of genuine claims in cases of insured accidents.

National President of NARTO, Alhaji Kassim Ibrahim Bataiya said the partnership became necessary in view of the frightening statistics on the rate of accidents.

: “This is the crowning glory of a project conceived between the two organisations over two years ago and designed to benefit both the owners and the drivers of the heavy duty dry cargo trucks that ply the Nigerian roads on daily basis.

The annual statistics provided by the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on the rates of accidents on our roads and the resultant serious injuries and deaths create the urgency for this scheme. Sadly enough, prior to this moment, in the event of any such accident, the affected driver or his mate as the case may be, was left to his fate with no financial reprieve extended to either of them in case of injury or to their families in case of death, thus the necessary motivation needed to spur them for greater productivity was lacking,” he explained.

He stated the resolve of the two unions in partnership with SA Insurance and Generationext to pursue this insurance scheme aimed at providing financial succour and reprieve to the injured and to the family of the dead dry cargo truck drivers resulting from accidents in the course of their work.

The programme according to him provides for treatment for the injured and burial expenses for the dead.

“It is still only a reprieve as money cannot compensate for loss of life or permanent disability resulting from accidents,” he added.