National Students Insurance Club launched

The Insurance Association of The Gambia on Tuesday officially inaugurated the National Students Insurance Club (NaSIC) at a ‘historic’ ceremony held at St. Joseph’s Senior Secondary School in Banjul. Established in January 2009 by a group of students from St. Augustine’s and St. Joseph’s Senior Secondary Schools, NaSIC was formed to inculcate into students, the positive role that insurance plays in the development of a country, as well as to encourage students to take up insurance as a career. Marie Dalliah, Lady Councilor of Banjul, while officially launching NaSIC on behalf of Mayor Samba Faal Lord, commended the students for coming up with such “a brilliant initiative” of forming a national students club. She said:  “It is brilliant in a sense that it will enhance and enable students to make a career at a very tender age.  This is a step in the right direction and at the right time and it comes at a time when his Excellency, President Jammeh, is doing everything to make sure that you students become responsible citizens and active leaders of tomorrow.” The secretary general of IAG, Henry Jawo noted that the idea of having insurance club at the schools will go a long way in making people appreciate the services of insurance “because in many areas when you talk about insurance what comes to the minds of many people is motor insurance. Insurance is wider than that.” Insurance is a defensive measure used against future conditional losses to hedge the possible risks of the future. It is a legal contract that protects a person from contingent risk of losses through financial means and provides a means for individuals and societies to handle some of the risks faced in daily life. Insurance plays an important role in sharing the risks of people in an affordable form. It helps the people to quickly recover from damages and losses. Mr Jawo said:  “We do hope that by the launching of this club we will one day witness a day where all the schools in the country would have insurance club in the curriculum in order to encourage students to appreciate the services of insurance and even to take it up as a profession. Dawda Sarge, President of the IAG, explained that the IAG has been embarking on a series of programme for the last five years to map out certain strategy that will enhance the image of the industry. “We are not only stopping at that, but also try to lay a solid foundation for the future because we are cognizant of the fact that you can only leave a legacy when there is a successor and there is no other way to do that than to go back to the roots. That is to go to the schools to sensitize students about the important of insurance in an economy.” Speaking earlier, President of National Students Insurance Club, Rosaline Mendy said the formation of National Students Insurance Club demonstrates their commitment and understanding to the positive role insurance plays in an economy. She noted that insurance is one of the economic ventures that play a vital role in the economy of a country. Joseph Gomez, vice principal of St Joseph secondary said the launching of insurance club is a remarkable event where young people are going to be introduce to the motives and ideas of insurance. Sukai Bahoum, a student of St. Joseph and executive member of NaSIC delivered the vote of thanks.  She thanked the IAG for financing the launching programme.