NICO Pension champs of Blantyre ‘One NICO Executive Golf Challenge’
NICO Pension men’s team emerged champions of second edition of the annual One NICO Executive Golf Challenge after outclassing their fellow 10 NICO Group subsidiary teams on Saturday at Country Club, Limbe in Blantyre.
The golf challenge, which involves NICO Group’s subsidiary companies, is mainly aimed at creating a platform where all NICO staff can interact, relax in an environment away from the office as well as engaging key stakeholders and clients in order to share ideas.
Team NICO Pension led by General Manager, Gerald Chima, displayed an impressive performance which saw them scoring 128 points after playing through the 18 holes while NICO General Insurance came second whereas NICO Asset Managers finished on third.
In the champions’ speech, Chima expressed excitement for being crowned winner out of the 10 participating teams, which he described the tournament as very wonderful experience considering its was very competitive and tough as it involved experienced and seasoned golfers.
Chima attributed to proper planning; good selection of players; excellent team work and consistency as the major strength they had that contributed to their victory.
“When were going in the golf course, we knew that the tournament won’t be easy but we had to encourage each to remain focused and make use of our skills and lucky enough it worked out on our side.
“This has motivated us and we’ll try our best to maintain the record in our next competitions,” he said on behalf of his team.
NICO Group Managing Director, Vizenge Kumwenda — himself an accomplished golfer— expressed delight that the golf event was successful.
Kumwenda said the competition managed to meet the expectations in terms competitiveness, participation, level of interest as well as input they get from the stakeholders was marvelous.
“Each time we organize such a interactions, the outcome is always overwhelming because we also utilize the opportunity to take ideas that our stakeholders give us because majority of them find it easy to give us new ideas and feedbacks during this time and as such we make use of their ideas and improve our services as a company and that’s the only secret that is making NICO Group to be the country’s leading brand,” said Kumwenda.
Captain for Country Club, Limbe, Harold Phiri — who was secretary of the organizing committee — applauded NICO Group for organizing the tournament for the second time at the club.
Phiri also thanked NICO Group for donating K500,000 and pumps which will be used to maintain the golf course.
Meanwhile, similar competition is expected to take place in Lilongwe on September 17, 2022 where winner from the competition will meet Blantyre-based NICO Pension team.
The winner from the two will earn a trip to Sun City in South Africa in a fully-paid for reward where it will spent a weekend playing golf and have a relaxing time.
Last month, NICO Group resuscitated its annual Employees Family Day after a two-year break due to the CoVID-19 pandemic, which is organised for a moment of relaxation after working so hard in their respective offices.
The event brings together employees from NICO Group’s various subsidiaries who come with their families for moments of relaxation, camaraderie — to enjoy and refresh their minds.
The event is also to celebrate their positive skills that has helped NICO Group to be a leading Plc brand in the country having been in operation for over 50 years.
The main event is held at Blantyre Sports Club (BSC), but it starts with aerobics at Chichiri Shopping Mall — one of NICO’s business assets — and was followed by a jogging and walk to the main venue.
At BSC, there is always a climax of various sporting activities such as netball, football, children’s jumping castles, gendaball, volleyball, tug of war and several others.
