Like the proverbial vulture, it is very easy to press the panic button and propose great ideas when we are in crisis or when something untoward happens. If it is not a road crash that has led to the loss of lives of powerful persons in society, it is likely to be a building that has collapsed and the local authorities are being blamed for not doing their work well and for that matter, plans A, B and C are hastily ‘pushed’ across! Leaders of various trade Associations, professional bodies, technocrats and politicians would make all the noise just because something unpleasant has happened. The hue and cry usually lasts not beyond 10 days! Soon, all the solutions proffered peter out!
Journalists and their calling
It is a truism that journalists would do everything to ensure that we have a just society, particularly through the publication or broadcast of information to draw attention to policy makers. From ensuring that politicians don’t take undue advantage of the poor taxpayers to workers who press home demands for one condition of service or the other, the journalist is always at the beck and call of every member of society including the mentally deranged! Sadly though, our ‘inky friends’ will not do same for themselves! Suffice it to say, journalists across the world face a lot of occupational hazards. For instance, the Ashong-man Estates incidence, a couple of years ago, where a GTV cameraman was badly attacked by a civil contractor for taking some footage remains fresh on my mind. Beyond the public reprimand, whether or not a punitive action was taken against the contractor, ‘your guess may just be as good as mine.’
Recent developments
Indeed, in our recent past, many journalists have suffered one way or another for just doing their work. Perhaps, the death of Samuel Nuamah, formerly of the Ghanaian Times and a member of the presidential press corps (may his gentle soul rest in perfect peace!), who died in a fatal motor accident while on duty a year ago, immediately comes to mind. He is gone and his immediate family is the biggest loser. As usual, there was a loud chorus to have an insurance package for journalists, with the lead chorister being the President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA). The good thing ,however, was his intro indicating an insurance package for journalists. Good to know! The call for an insurance policy for journalists was naturally triggered not only by the accident but the fact that a life was lost.
The controversy
Exactly a year after this fatal incident, I shudder to say ‘the Samuel Nuamah song’ has already lost its hit status and this has been long since! Whiles everyone else seems to have overcome the tragic loss, the family of the affable late journalist still has his memories fresh on their minds, especially, waking up to the reality of no income to fall on. This, undoubtedly, resonates with a popular statement that ‘tomorrow is not ours.’
Unfortunately, it does appear most of our hardworking journalists easily disregard insurance, particularly, life insurance either out of limited comprehension or other reasons best known to them. If there was a headcount today, I will not be surprised if less than 20 per cent of our journalists have personal insurance policies. In the case of motor insurance, most of our journalists would rather take a third-party as opposed to comprehensive insurance. Indeed, the reason is obviously not farfetched, as it is either to pay a little premium or to meet the requirements of the law or both.
Apathy towards Insurance
Like most individuals, some of our journalists have a misplaced inclination that mishaps may only come the ways of others and not them. In my discourse with friends in the inky fraternity who are also members of the GJA, I come across many who attempt to give VERY SOUND reasons for not taking up personal insurance. Indeed, an inky friend once posited that, “…charley, taking this your funeral policy is a subtle way of invoking death upon myself….” Tried as I could, my friends are still unyielding towards their personal insurance.
Individual choices
There have been numerous calls for and by the GJA to have insurance package for its members and this is laudable. Inasmuch as the GJA could do its bit by way of Group Personal Accident or similar policies for its members, it is imperative that each individual member of the GJA takes responsibility for their own personal insurance, not just as a way of safeguarding their future but guaranteeing the future of families they might leave behind. Thus, individual members may consider personal insurance and other forms of insurance that would inure to their own benefits without recourse to expectations from an association. What matters most is that benefits could come from both angles – the association’s end, as well as, the individual’s own insurance arrangements. We must be reminded again and also appreciate that Sammy’s loss really hit his family more than any other person or group. The family must continue to live and must live mainly on financial arrangements (including personal insurance policies) made in the past, if any. Need I say, our real sympathies should not only be with Sammy’s family, but equally important, are the journalists who put personal insurance at the bottom of their priority list!
Risks occur when least expected
Anything can happen at any time, they say! If a presidential press corps vehicle, where safety standards are supposed to be very high, could find itself in such tragedy, then, what becomes of our journalist friends who either use their own vehicles or public transport?
As humans, we are good at sympathising with one another when we are in difficulty, but our level of concerns often end with calls on government, institutions, associations and corporate institutions to do the needful. Let us learn to carry our own crosses too; it helps! This piece can certainly not end without me asking the question: ‘One year after the presidential corps accident, and the call for an insurance package for journalists by the GJA, how far?
Until Next week,
“This is Insurance from the eyes of my mind.”