Lydia Lariba Bawa, Commissioner of Insurance, National Insurance Commission (NIC) was overwhelmed when she joined qualified insurance practitioners for a luncheon meeting at the Kempinski Hotel Gold City in Accra recently.
The meeting was at the instance of the Commissioner to discuss matters affecting the Insurance Institute of Ghana (IIG).
The IIG is the Professional Insurance body expected to promote professionalism and high standards in the insurance industry.
Unfortunately, the IIG has not been able to meet this objectives.
Over 300 Associates, Fellows and Chartered Insurance Practitioners (CIP) attended this august meeting.
Ms. Bawa, in her open address, said she was surprises at the number of professionals who attended the luncheon meeting that day.
“A few years ago we could easily count on our fingers the number of professionals,” she revealed.
She said Ghana’s Insurance institute is the vehicle created to galvanise members into a formidable force.
Indeed, in Kenya, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom (UK) the insurance institutes are vibrant in ensuring the development of insurance professionals.
“Unfortunately, in Ghana the institute only exists in name.”
The Commissioner suggested that members should take a cursory look at activities of some professional association, such as the Ghana Bar Association, Ghana Medical Association (GMA) Human Resource Practitioners and Ghana Architectural Society.
“Thankfully, I have another profession — the Ghana Bar Associations (GBA), which is very vibrant and has its own offices, officers and well-defined structures to hold Annual Conference and ensure continuous development of its members,” she noted.
The Commissioner said nothing should stop IIG from replicating GBA or any other professional Association.
“As the Commissioner of Insurance I personally pledge to support the activities of IIG, and I expect similar resolve from members.”
Furthermore, she said: “I have directed NIC to make monthly contributions to ensure a steady flow of income”.
Source: B&FT Online