The National Insurance Commission (NIC), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme’s Insurance and Risk Finance Facility (UNDP-IRFF), has launched a nationwide initiative aimed at enhancing access to inclusive insurance for artisans and market women.
This initiative is designed to safeguard the livelihoods of these underserved groups during emergencies.
To support this effort, 26 enumerators are undergoing training to prepare for fieldwork set to begin next week.
They will visit major markets, including Galilea in Dodowa, Katamanso, Kasoa, Ada, Sege, and Asutuare from October 1 to October 5.
Their mission is to engage with the leaders of market women, artisans, and their associations to promote awareness of the advantages of business insurance.
During the NIC’s Inclusive Insurance Awareness Clinic for the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area, Dr. Amina Sammo, UNDP-IRFF Coordinator, expressed her enthusiasm for the initiative’s progress. She emphasized the necessity of expanding insurance coverage to traditionally excluded groups like market traders and artisans.
“My stance on inclusive insurance has always been a passionate one.
She encouraged enumerators to prioritize this perspective as they engage with the community, highlighting the need for business insurance that meets the urgent needs of traders, rather than focusing solely on heavily marketed funeral policies.
Dr. Sammo also called on insurance associations to innovate by creating accessible insurance products tailored to protect vulnerable populations. She reaffirmed UNDP’s IRFF commitment to empowering the insurance sector to reach the over 90% of the population currently underserved by general insurance products.
Mr. Nda Ahale Polley, representing the Ghana Insurers Association (GIA) and the Insurance Awareness Coordinating Group (IACG), explained that the IACG was established to streamline and coordinate all insurance awareness efforts across the country, thereby eliminating redundancies. He noted that the group began its activities in June 2023 and aims to enhance inclusive insurance initiatives through November.
Mr. Abdul-Rashid Rahman, who manages inclusive insurance at NIC’s supervision department, outlined the program’s five phases. The first phase involved reconnaissance trips to selected markets, followed by enumerator training. The third phase, known as Focus Group Discussions, will allow enumerators to engage with market leaders and artisans for data collection and feedback.
The final phase will focus on building the capacity of selected teams to effectively communicate insurance information to the broader community post-program.
Kyeame Ghanasah, the lead facilitator, guided participants through the primary objectives of the fieldwork, ensuring they are well-prepared to convey the benefits of inclusive insurance in local languages during their outreach efforts.