After almost two decades of inactivity due to the rebel war, a Liberian has been elected the new President of the West Africa Insurance Companies Association (WAICA) at its 31st annual general meeting last week in Monrovia.
The newly elected President is George Dann of the Continental General & Life Assurance, succeeding Mrs. Alice Onomake, Managing Director of Reliance Insurance Trust Corporation, who lauded the Liberian Insurance Market for rising to the onerous task of hosting the 2009 WAICA Conference after the war.
She admonished the Liberian Insurance Sector to take its rightful place in the ongoing reconstruction process in the country by playing a role in the underwriting of risks associated with the implementation of development and social services projects funded nationally and via the support of international financial institutions.
The outgoing President further stated that of significance was that the West African Insurance Institute now located in Banjul, the Gambia was founded in Monrovia, Liberia which graduated the first batch of students in 1979 of which President Ernest Koroma was a member.
Mrs. Onomake also recalled with emotions the spontaneous evacuation of her class in 1999 as the then raging war closed in on the city of Monrovia and noted the role of women folk of Africa in making a difference to common place perspectives of corporate governance by creating leadership templates that are worthy of emulation.
The outgoing president reiterated that she was extremely pleased to hand over the baton of office in a jurisdiction headed by one of the greatest women in Africa in the person of a shining star, Her Excellency Madam Ellen Johnson –Sirleaf fondly referred to as “Iron Lady”
Speaking at the opening ceremony held at the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex, Vice President Joseph N. Boakai called on Insurance Companies in Liberia to review their image and policies to make their industry customer friendly.
VP Boakai noted, “We know you are grappling with a non friendly economy, but your image as an industry has to strengthen itself.” He assured WAICA that government will create an enabling environment that will make their industry viable.
In his statement, Transport Minister Jackson Doe observed that “making insurance meaningful in West Africa calls for a united front and enabling environment,” while underscoring the point that for insurance to be meaningful as is stated by the theme of the confab they should educate the people about the importance of insurance through seminars.
Representing Sierra Leone at the confab with the theme “Insurance policy wording” were Solomon Samba of Aureol Insurance Company, (AIC), Arthur Yaskey of National Insurance Company and Mr. Nduka Anyaso, Managing Director International Insurance Company.
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