Stories by Ebere Nwoji
The president of Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), Mr. Kayode Okunoren, has urged the federal government to commence the implementation of the 2016 budget without further delay.
Okunoren, who made the call at the April edition of the Members’ Evening of the council, held in Lagos, noted that it is disheartening that up till now, at the expiration of the fourth month of the year, government has not started implementing the budget.
He said implementation of the budget, would provide succour to the current obvious sufferings of Nigerians.
Okunoren also urged political leaders to lead by example and ensure that their life style conforms to what they preach in order to get the desired support of the followers.
“Whilst the citizens are enduring and sacrificing, the onus is also on the leaders to lead by example and ensure their lifestyle conforms to what they preach in order to get the desire support of the followers”, he said.
The NCRIB boss noted that this is not the best of times for many Nigerians in view of the economic recession being experienced today. According to him, obviously, our economy is presently bedeviled by challenges such as unfavorable exchange rate of the naira against the US Dollars; spiraling cost of goods and services that has constituted a hole in the pockets of Nigerians.
He also said the rock bottom prices of crude oil in the international market and the gale of corruption manifesting in the mismanagement of the nation’s resources have worsened the plight of the country.
Okunoren said it is definitely natural that a time like this would ordinarily task the patience of the citizens as already witnessed in the country today, adding the stand of the council is that there is need at this period for Nigerians to have more patience and cooperate with the present administration in ensuring the revival of the national economy.
“Realising that no one could proverbially eat an omelette without breaking an egg; Nigerians need to endure the temporary hardship for a better tomorrow,”
“Whilst the citizens are enduring and sacrificing, the onus is also on the leaders to lead by example and ensure their lifestyle conforms to what they preach in order to get the desire support of the followers’’, he stressed.
Okunoren, also spoke on the recent publication of list of 300 brokers that have satisfied the renewal requirements by the National Insurance Commission ( NAICOM), saying though rumour had made the rounds that only the 300 brokers on the list as at the first publication were the only licensed operators in the market, a situation which he said sends misleading signals to the insuring public, the information is quite erroneous disclosing that the number has currently increased to about 314 members as at today.
“Suffice it to note that it is the statutory responsibility of NAICOM to make public the list of practitioners who have satisfied their renewal requirement as they are cleared by the Commission. The list will keep coming in batches as not all brokers have the same renewal dates and that explains the differentiation in the period of the approval of their licenses by the Commission”, he said
He also enjoined brokers who have not satisfied the renewal requirements to do so to avoid penalty from the regulatory body.
The April edition of the NCRIB members’ evening was hosted by the Zenith General Insurance Plc.
Addressing the guest, Okunoren said, in spite of many challenges confronting members of the council in recent times, he expressed delight that Zenith General Insurance support, has continued to assist the council to navigate all the odds on its path.
He appealed to brokers who are still maintaining apathy towards the council’s activities to have a change of heart, warning that they can only survive through constant bonding and exchange of ideas on a continual basis.
