By Nike Popoola
Wednesday, 10 Nov 2010
The Group Managing Director, AIICO Insurance Plc, Mr. David Sobanjo, has affirmed the company‘s commitment to journalists’ welfare through the provision of group life assurance cover for them.
In a statement from the company on Tuesday, Sobanjo said this during the presentation of the Nigerian Union of Journalists Insurance Scheme for Journalists in Abuja.
Sobanjo described the newly-introduced policy, Group Life and Group Accident policies, as palliative measures necessitated by the hazardous nature of the profession.
The cover, he explained, included the payment of N1.5m as compensation to the beneficiaries and loved ones of any deceased journalist and any journalist maimed in the course of duty.
Sobanjo lamented the loss of life and spate of attacks on journalists in recent times while discharging their duties.
He promised that AIICO Insurance would deploy its expertise and resources in ameliorating any pain and hardship experienced by the loved ones of deceased and maimed journalists participating in the scheme.
The statement quoted the President, Nigerian Union of Journalists, Mr. Sanni Garba, to have said that the insurance scheme became necessary as a result of unresolved killings and deaths of journalists in Nigeria while discharging their duties.
Garba decried the murders and series of unprovoked attacks on journalists and appealed to the government to safeguard the lives of journalists especially in the run-up to the 2011 elections.
He lauded the partnership with AIICO Insurance and explained the choice of the company due to its leadership position in Life Insurance in Nigeria and its success in ensuring stability all through the changes in life of its policyholders.
He appealed to all stakeholders to embrace the scheme and ensure that journalists and their families are were taken care of in the event of their untimely death.
According to the statement, the chief launcher as the occasion, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State , described the scheme as a noble objective which was long overdue.
He lauded AIICO Insurance‘s initiative in introducing such, which he described as the first in Nigeria .
He appealed to media owners to pay journalists living wages to embolden and empower them.
Mimiko declared the support of the Ondo State government for the Scheme and promised to pay the premium of all registered journalists in Ondo State for one year. He donated the sum of N10m towards the Scheme on behalf of Ondo State .
Source: PunchÂÂÂ
