ADDRESS BY MR. EDDIE EFEKOHA, PRESIDENT/ CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL CHARTERED INSURANCE INSTITUTE OF NIGERIA DURING THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE INSTITUTE’S 2019 ANNUAL EDUCATION SEMINAR ON THURSDAY 7TH NOVEMBER, 2019 AT HOTEL SYLVIA ENUGU, ENUGU.
PROTOCOLS
It affords me great delight in welcoming you to the 2019 Education Seminar of our great Institute. The Education Seminar has become a regular feature in the calendar of our Institute as it has become an important platform for the continuous education of members across the Country this is reflected in the fact that this is the 47th edition.
I would like to restate that the significance attached to the rotation of the hosting of the seminar amongst the Chapters of the Institute is to confer responsibility on the Chapters in order to ensure their active participation in our activities. It is also to promote inclusion amongst all chapters and ensure that the institute’s activities bears the stamp of all the chapters of the Institute. The Governing Council acknowledges the efforts of the Enugu state chapter in ensuring that we are treated to a hitch-free seminar of the highest quality. We appreciate the commitment you have shown to the cause and urge that you do not let up in your contributions to the ensuring the insurance industry takes its pride of place in the economy.
The Seminar Theme: “Financial Inclusion and Insurance – Issues, Challenges and opportunities” has been specially selected to throw further light on the importance of inclusion, the roles of emerging markets and need for creativity in the offering of services by insurance stakeholders in order move the needle and grow the insurance industry.
It is common knowledge that Insurance penetration is nowhere near where it should be in the country. As practitioners, we can also acknowledge that companies are doing all that they can within the tenets of the law to reach out to customers in order to create a sustained demand for insurance products. The question is, are our best efforts enough? What more can we do to improve our lot? Equally, Insurance companies are being tasked to reorganize their operations and focus on promoting value. This will in turn, increase the number of persons who embrace insurance, turning them into ambassadors no matter in what sector they actively function.
This Seminar theme beams a spotlight on financial inclusion as a major facilitator of the growth of the Insurance industry. Even the smallest molecule of our operations should be clear and concise to our target audience and our messages should reach them where ever they are. Only then can we truly retain top of mind awareness and agree that we have taken a significant step in what we collectively desire to achieve, an Insurance industry that is a significant contributor in terms of numbers to the economic growth. We welcome the team of experienced panelists who will x-ray the issues emanating from the theme paper and believe they will take us on a thoroughly enlightening experience.
As risk managers, it is our lot to increase the tempo of our campaigns for insurance awareness and professionalism in order to get more people to stand up and take notice and for more Nigerians to embrace insurance as a profession and as a service offering.
The Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria will continue to leverage on all platforms to ensure the propagation of insurance education, awareness and the highest levels of professionalism obtainable in the industry. The institute’s creed is centered on its mandate to provide world class manpower with the highest standard of professional and ethical training for the Nigerian and International business community.
I would like to mention at this juncture that this edition of the Education Seminar is a special one because this year the Institute celebrates 60 years of its existence as a platform for the growth of manpower in the insurance industry. During the month of August, we held a weeklong celebration that was capped off with a glamorous Gala Night. I want to thank you all for your support and participation and also to NAICOM, NIA, NCRIB and ILAN for their support.
Institute is reinventing itself to become even more relevant in the larger scheme of things.
I wish to seize this opportunity in appealing to the Enugu State Government to see the Insurance Industry as a worthy partner in progress. No effort can be too much in this collective quest for increased Insurance consciousness in our Nation. The 2019 Education Seminar is therefore a call for all hands to be on deck in the actualization of the awareness campaign.
Distinguished Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen, Let me end by urging all participants to take active part in the deliberations. It is my wish that we all have an utterly rewarding experience.
Thank you for your attention and God bless.
Mr. EDDIE EFEKOHA, FCII, FIIN
President/ Chairman of Council
Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria
