June 3 flood: Indian firm asks submerged car owners to ‘leave it to God’

Alliance Motors Ghana Ltd, dealers in Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles, have allegedly short-changed over 40 Ghanaian car owners, who took their expensive cars to the expatriate company for repairs, but got submerged in the June 3 floods, by telling them to leave everything to God. The Indian-South African company, flippantly told their clients that, their Jaguar XF, Jaguar XJ, Jaguar F-type, Defender, Discovery 4, Freelander 2, Range Rover Vogue, Range Rover Sport, and Range Rover Evoque, which got destroyed by the rains, could not be replaced as the company’s insurance policy with Enterprise Insurance, does not cover them.

Ironically, Toyota Ghana Limited, Rana Motors, dealers in Kia and Hyundai cars, as well as several other car dealers, have either paid their clients or are settling negotiated payment over the same June 3 floods, which claimed nearly 200 lives and destroyed several properties. But Alliance Motors, simply told the car owners to go home, because the flood was an act of God against mankind. Amazingly, the same company, went to Enterprise Insurance, and collected huge monetary compensations on the cars in its showroom and workshop; 39-40 Adjumah Crescent, South Industrial Area in Accra, which was submerged in the rainwater. This issue, brings into sharp focus, the kind of inspectorate mechanism the National Insurance Commission (NIC), headed by Madam Lydia Lariba Bawa, undertake to prevent people from losing their properties and money. The Commission, has been on a drive to get people and institutions to have their properties insured, but it appears there are no insurance benefits in some cases. Some angry car owners, have since reported the matter to the Consumer Protection Agency (CPA). Kofi Kapito, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CPA, has confirmed the complaints lodged with his outfit to The Herald, but declined to give details. He, however, mentioned his meetings with the Alliance Motors, Enterprise Insurance and the Insurance Commissioner, Madam Bawa, over the matter. The CPA boss, also revealed that, he has dispatched letters to some of the institutions, and is awaiting their response. He again, declined to give details of the content of the letters.

But at least four of the angry clients of the company, have taken the matter to court, seeking legal redress for the loss of their properties. Others, are also heading to court to have their cars replaced by Alliance Motors, a subsidiary of Tata Africa Holdings of South Africa. Richard Ankomah, Deputy After Sales Manager of Alliance Motors, confirmed the havoc the June 3 flood wrecked on the company. He also confirmed legal cases slapped on the company by the four clients to have their properties back. In an interview inside “The Grand Oyeeman” building off the 37 Liberation Road behind Opabea House in Accra, Mr. Ankomah, a Ghanaian, further confirmed payments from Enterprise Insurance to Alliance Motors, but directed The Herald to Enterprise Insurance for the reasons why the two companies are not responsible for their clients’ cars. Alliance Motors, he mentioned, had relocated to Airport Commercial Centre area due to the devastating flood. Mr. Ankomah, referred The Herald to the Head of Claims Unit of Enterprise Insurance, Osman D. Abudu, who he said had told Alliance Motors that, the flood was an act of God, hence third parties as the car owner, are not eligible for insurance claims from them. When The Herald reached Osman D. Abudu off the John Atta Mills High Street, he also pointed at Paul Yao Asafo, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the company. Mr. Osafo, who was shocked by the position of Alliance Motors, insisted Enterprise Insurance, has no legal arrangement with the clients of the car dealers. He insisted Alliance Motors, must be explaining the issues to the car owners, rather than passing the buck to Enterprise Insurance. The Herald, has meanwhile learnt that the flooded workshop, used to be the offices of PHC Motors, and had many times recorded flood disasters in the past, leading to the destruction of hundreds of cars, with the owners told to leave it to God. However, despite numerous legal disputes and judgments against PHC, nothing was done about the workshop to prevent clients from losing their cars through floods. PHC, is said to have collapsed, based on huge judgment debts and other issues relating to mismanagement, but Interestingly, Paul K. Pepera, who was the owner of PHC, is one of the directors of Alliance Motors.