Yemisi Izuora
The Edo State government would now begin to engage insurance brokers in the insurance and risk protection of its human and material assets.
Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, governor of Edo state while addressing the 2015 Chief Executive Officers’ Retreat of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), in Benin City, Edo State noted poor awareness about the value of insurance had militated against the engagement of insurance by government in the past and assured that the trend could change forthwith.
Oshiomhole who spoke through the Commissioner for Finance, John Inegbedion, therefore implored the NCRIB to accelerate the tempo of public awareness and strategise engagement of all sectors of the Nigerian economy as obtains in developed countries of the world.
He applauded the efforts of the NCRIB in widening the horizon of the insurance awareness in the country through its various outreach to government institutions and individuals and urged other players in the industry to emulate this approach in order to grow the industry.
In his remark, the President of the Council, Mr. Ayodapo Shoderu implored government institutions to patronize the insurance industry as a step towards protecting their assets and lamented their poor attitude for risk identifications and protection.
He used the occasion to advise the new government under President Mohammadu Buhari to give premium attention to risk protection as bases for wealth creation in order to make a desire of the government to create wealth for Nigerians realizable.
“If given adequate support as in other climes, the insurance industry in Nigeria has the capability of creating no fewer than 5,000 jobs on a yearly bases, by so doing, reducing unemployment and accelerating national development.” Shoderu said.
The NCRIB President disclosed that the yearly CEOs’ Retreat of the Council was being held to sharpen the skills of members and create an avenue for interaction among its memberships.
The NCRIB delegation had earlier visited the Secretary to Edo State Government, Professor Julius Ihonvbere in his office.
In his remark, Professor Ihonvbere noted that the burden created by flood and other related disasters should not be the responsibility of government, if acquisition of insurance policies had been properly embedded in the minds of the people.
He also lamented the poor awareness of insurance and its benefits among the grassroots that formulate the chunk of the national population