The enforcement of the third-party insurance policy, as mandated by the Inspector-General of Police (I-G), has continued to spark mixed reactions from vehicle owners in Ibadan.
Speaking separately with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, the respondents reacted differently to the policy’s enforcement, which officially commenced on Feb. 1 across the nation.
The respondents – private car owners, commercial car, tricycle and motorcycle operators, raised the lack of awareness, wrong timing and insincerity of insurance companies to claim settlement as issues of concern.
A civil servant and a private car owner, Mr Tunde Adebayo, said he had always paid for a third-party insurance policy but doubted its effectiveness.
“The issue is not just about the enforcement.
“The government must ensure that insurance companies process claims fairly as most Nigerians do not trust the system.
“Definitely, I am one of the many who do not trust the system.
“Insurance companies must prove their effectiveness before expecting the people to comply,” Adebayo said.
Another private car owner, Mrs Kehinde Joshua, called for more public sensitisation, noting that many vehicle owners were unaware of penalties for non-compliance.
Joshua said, “I just heard about the N250,000 fine today. This should have been better publicised before the enforcement.
“Most of these ‘reckless’ bus drivers do not even know about this policy, talk less of the fine.
“If this enforcement works, perhaps we would have a good transport system in Nigeria.”
NAN reports that many commercial tricycle (Keke) operators, however, seemed oblivious to the policy.
For instance, an operator in Molete, Musa Ibrahim, was surprised to learn that tricycle owners were also required to obtain valid third-party insurance certificates.
“I thought only big car owners needed insurance. Nobody told us anything about this. What do Keke drivers need insurance for?” He wondered.
However, Mr Lekan Olanrewaju, who operates his tricycle in the same area, appealed to authorities to give them more time to comply.
“Here we are struggling to survive, but if they start arresting us now, how are we to feed our families?
“The worst part of it is that most of us are just hearing about this enforcement; they need to give us time,” he said.
Meanwhile, a Micra (taxi) driver, who asked to be anonymous, blatantly showed no interest in the insurance policy.
“How much do I make in a month that they’re asking me to do insurance, not with the rate at which we buy fuel?
“No day goes by without having to fix something in my car. Today, it’s the brake; tomorrow, it’s the fuel pump, and next, the oil is leaking.
“How much do I have remaining for insurance after paying for so much?
“Sincerely, I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said.
NAN reports the enforcement exercise is ongoing nationwide, with authorities urging full compliance to avoid sanctions.
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