The National Insurance Commission (NIC) has held a 2-day training for officer cadets of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) at the Fire Academy and Training School (FATS) in Accra.
Aimed at creating awareness on insurance and its related issues, the exercise saw participants undergo training in areas including basic principles of insurance and fire insurance and risk management, courses both factored into the course structure for Fire Service trainees.
Held on February 2 and 3, the training forms part of a structured campaign by the NIC to create insurance awareness amongst all security agencies and allied bodies.
Speaking at the opening of the training, the Commissioner of Insurance, Dr. Justice Yaw Ofori noted that the training is a continuation of series of insurance training programmes outlined and targeted at not only the security agencies but also other allied agencies.
This, he intimated, has the objective of providing insurance protection for all lives and properties.
“I am delighted about the prospects of this training as it coincides with the development of a database on Compulsory Commercial Fire Insurance by the NIC. This training is also expected to equip you in basic principles of insurance with focus on areas such as Fire Insurance and Risk Management”, he stated.
Dr. Ofori also admonished participants to take the training seriously as “when personnel of the Fire Service are well educated on insurance, they can also encourage others to appreciate the need for insurance as a risk management tool”.
On his part, the Director of the Ghana Insurance College, Mr Richard Okyere disclosed that the College which is the main training arm of the Insurance Industry has so far trained about 5,000 out of a targeted 10,000 since the NIC started funding the training of the youth as Insurance Agents in July 2019. This move, Mr Okyere said, has created employment in the insurance industry for many young people.
In his welcome remarks, the Commandant of FATS, ACFO Gilbert Klutse advised the trainees to take advantage of the exercise in order to serve as worthy ambassadors for the insurance protection of lives, homes and corporate entities in the course of their career.
“Whereas, the GNFS is committed to sensitizing the citizenry and protecting homes, businesses, as well as other forms of properties against the ravages of fire and other disasters, the insurance industry which is regulated by the National Insurance Commission (NIC) provides the needed shock absorbers to alleviate the economic impacts of these incidents on victims if they do occur’, he acknowledged.
The NIC is the regulatory body of all insurance entities in Ghana and has for some time now championed the training of key categories of personnel as part of the Commission’s mandate of making everyone aware of the needs and benefits of insurance through its instituted Insurance Education Fund.
By Nii Adjei Mensahfio