Elections into Govern ing Council of the Nigerian Insurers Association may be assuming a battle dimension at the association’s 38th Annual General Meeting as Mr. Godwin Odah, Managing Director/CEO Union Assurance Company Ltd. will lead three others to contest for three vacant seats on Thursday.

Apart from the candidates standing for reelection, the other three new candidates who have filed their nominations for the three vacant positions include Alhaji Mohammed Kari, Managing Director/CEO UnityKapital Assurancce Plc, Mr. Austin Enajemo-Isire, Managing Director/CEO, Standard Alliance Life Assurance Company Limited, and Mrs. Yetunde Ilori, Chief Executive Officer, Guaranty Trust Assurance Plc.

The new entrants may be an indication of the ethical direction that NIA is pursuing. If elected, their voices will be the much needed impetus for self regulation.

Members of the Council who have served their mandatory two-year tenure but are eligible for reelection are; Mr. Gus Wiggle, Managing Director/ CEO, Linkage Assurance Plc Mr Fatai  Lawal, Managing Director, CEO, Sterling Assurance Co. Ltd and Mr. Sakiru Oyefeso, Managing Director, CEO, STACO Insurance Plc

The AGM, which holds at the Ocean View Restaurant in Victoria Island , will also afford the NIA Chairman, Mr. Wole Oshin, opportunity to present full year activity report of the association.  This year’s AGM also coincides with Oshin’s first anniversary as chairman of the association.

The NIA Chairman is expected to give an updated report on critical areas such as developments in Oil & Gas Insurance, industry co-operation, CITA 2007, and recovery of tax concession, market discipline, ECOWAS Brown Card, FSS 2020, amongst others.

According to the Director-General of the Association, Mr. Ezekiel Chiejina, “apart from the elections into the Governing Council, NIA Chairman will also use the occasion to address certain issues facing the industry in the post consolidation era and highlight steps being taken by the Governing Council to address them.

But as it is, I can confirm that the Association is on the threshold of a new dawn”, he stated. Chiejina, disclosed that representatives of 21 member-companies that are yet to pay their annual membership subscription on the day of elections may be disenfranchised as they will not be eligible to vote or be voted for at the Annual General Meeting.
They can, however, attend as observers.

He, however, said the association is working hard to encourage the members to pay so as to ensure maximum participation by member companies.