The Ghana National Bureau of the Ecowas Brown Card Insurance Scheme has held a two-day sensitization workshop to Educate stakeholders in Kumasi on the newly updated and secured version of the Ecowas Brown Card which came into effect in 1st January 2012. The workshop, which brought together representatives from the insurance companies, Security Agencies, Transporters, Freight and Forwarders, was held at the Cicero hotel in Kumasi. The two-day synergy availed participants the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the operations and procedure of the Ecowas Brown Card Insurance Scheme. The card allows the free movement of people and goods within Ecowas member states. It provides compensation to victims of motor vehicle accidents, which may occur while travelling within the sub-region. It also provides insurance cover for third party liability risks relating to accidents resulting in death and or bodily injury and property damage. The Chairperson of the occasion, Ms. Lydia Bawa of SIC-Kumasi explained that the workshop was a welcome initiative by the Ghana National Bureau. She said,“we need to be properly sensitized as to what the brown card talks about, its importance and of course to understand why the protocol dictates its introduction” Explaining the rationale behind the introduction of the new brown card, Mr. Gabriel Glover CEO/Secretary General of the Ghana National Bureau of the Ecowas Brown Card Insurance Scheme, said the old card was easily being forged, as in many instances fake cards were being discovered in the region. “This necessitated the introduction of a new card with improved security features. The new card has security features embedded in it which are not visible but can be seen only by those inspecting the card, who will be using sophisticated gadgets to verify if the card is faked or not”, Mr. Glover stated. He said the difference between the new card and the old one is that the latter has four copies and upon purchase, the customer takes two copies; one of which is given to the national bureau of the country that may be the place of an accident involving the holder of the card. With regard to the other two copies, one is retained by the insurance company and the other is sent to the national bureau where the card was printed. “The new card is only one single leaflet with significant security features that cannot be seen by the naked eye. It was launched in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, on 12 October 2011 during the 28th Ordinary Session of the Council of Bureaux of the Ecowas Brown Card Insurance Scheme. The card provides compensation for victims of road accident, it also encourages trade and tourism, thus establishing international links, which would open up the Ecowas markets”, Mr. Glover added. He further stated that the Brown Card is one of the most successful instruments of integration in Ecowas; and called on the security personnel and all concerned individuals to embrace it The Ecowas Brown Card boss urged motorists not to cross the borders without acquiring a brown card from their insurance companies because it is for their own protection. It is believed that the introduction of the new Ecowas secured card would help in strengthening, fast-tracking and simplifying the process for claims settlements.