First Insurance Awards results Scrapped

Accra, Oct. 19, GNA - Results of the first ever Ghana Insurance Awards were scrapped, following stakeholders' disagreements over winners in some categories.

Mr Afotey Odartefio, Executive Secretary, Corporate Initiative Ghana, organisers of the awards, told the expectant crowd that the entire results had been cancelled to protect the awards' integrity and the organiser's credibility, in Accra on Saturday. "We wanted good results and in order not to be accused of influencing the outcomes, we got the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), to do the compilation. But it appears they have not done the best for us," he said.

This statement was met with cheers and clap of hands from the floor and brought to an abrupt end an evening full of promise. It all began after Quality Insurance Company was adjudged as the best company in both marine and motor insurance. This announcement, however, did not go done well with industry practitioners, who greeted it with loud shouts of no! from the floor of the State Banquet Hall, where the Awards Dinner was being held. The surprise turn of event and to prevent further embarrassment, the organisers and representatives of ISSER, which was in charge of data collection and compilation of award results went into consultation. Shortly after, Mr Afotey Odartefio, Executive Secretary, Corporate Initiative, Ghana, emerged and made the declaration of the cancellation of the entire results.

Dr Peter Quartey, Research Fellow of ISSER, said there were some technical hitches that needed to be corrected to make the results acceptable to all. The insurance awards seek to recognise insurance companies that have distinguished themselves in their operations and by so doing improve on service delivery.