Henry Bukari, Managing Director of Phoenix Insurance, has taken over as the new Chairman of the Council of Bureaux of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme.

The swearing-in was administered by a Court of Appeal Judge, His Lordship Justice Charles Edward Ekow Baiden at a ceremony to climax the 39th General Assembly of the Council of Bureaux of the ECOWAS Browncard Insurance Scheme.

His Chairmanship leadership mantle which is for a renewable period of one year, was handed over to him by his predecessor, Jean Nignan Damascene of Burkina Faso.

In his address, the newly sworn-in chair of the council of Bureaux, Henry Bukari noted that digitizing the ECOWAS Browncard will improve the settlement process and boost trade.

“We are moving into the phase of digitalization. This will resolve issues surrounding the claims process. Digitization will create a seamless claims process.”

“The ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme stands today as a hallmark of regional integration, facilitating seamless trade and movement within West Africa”, he added.

Prior to this elevation, Henry Bukari served as the Vice Chairman of the Council of Bureaux.

The ceremony which also saw past Ghanaian Chairmen and General Secretaries being recognised with citations climaxed the end of the 39th General Assembly's AGM held in Accra attended by Members of all 14 West African countries.

The past Chairmen who were recognised are Peter Osei Duah, former Managing Director of SIC Insurance; Larry K. Jiagge, a former Managing Director of NSIA Insurance and Godfried L. Djanie, former Managing Director of Millennium Insurance.

The rest are Mark Asiedu, formerly of Mainstream Reinsurance; Ambassador Steve Kyerematen, former Managing Director of Activa International Insurance; Kwame Ofori, former Executive Director of Enterprise Insurance and Victor Obeng-Adiyiah, Managing Director of Unique Insurance.

Two past General Secretaries, Paul Quarshie and Patrick K. Agyekum were also recognised.

The ECOWAS Brown Card insurance scheme was established to promote cross-border trade and movement of persons and goods within the ECOWAS su-bregion.