The Chairman, Insurance Industry Consultative Council (IICC) and President/ Chairman Governing Council, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Sir Muftau Oyegunle, has called on the government to prioritize insurance and build it into most of the support government is offering “in order to reduce poverty in the country.”

Sir Oyegunle who made the call while addressing Insurance Correspondents at the 2021 IICC Media Retreat held at the College of Insurance and Financial Management (CIFM), Asese, Ogun State over the weekend, equally advised the government to make health insurance compulsory by subsidizing the premium.

This he said, has been done successfully in other climes, frowning at the prevailing situation where “common malaria kills more people in Nigeria than COVID.”

He said the level of poverty in the country had increased , following Covid19 and consequent downturn of the economy “and the message to Governments at various levels is that for sustainability, insurance must be built into most of the support governments are offering amongst others.”

While soliciting the support of the media for the growth of the industry, he also frowned seriously at the incidences of buildings collapse in various parts of the country, especially the most recent one at Gerald Road, Ikoyi, saying the incidence exposed the level of decadence and the level of culture of settlement in our society.

“I would like to refresh your memories by stating that the IICC was formed with the following objectives which are aimed at raising the profile of the industry as well as increasing its relevance to the Nation’s economic growth. The objectives include: acting as an industry voice for national matters; acting as a platform for intra industry conflict resolution; promoting the Industry’s image and growth agenda and taking up and assuming any other role that may serve the best interest of the insurance industry,” Sir Oyegunle explained.

He said the forum also serves the purpose of further unifying all arms of the Insurance Industry who have come together under one umbrella, the IICC, in order to ensure unity and single-mindedness in promoting the insurance industry agenda.