FULL TEXT OF SPEECH PRESENTED BY PRINCE EZEALA FERDINAND AKANO, PRESIDENT, IMO STATE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION DURING THE COURTESY VISIT OF THE ASSOCIATION TO DR. FABIAN IHEKWEME, THE COMMISSIONER OF FOREIGN AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, IMO STATE AT THE ODENIGBO CONVENTION CENTER ON THURSDAY 21ST MAY, 2020

The Hon. Commissioner

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Dr. Fabian Ihekweme, (Omu)

 

The Secretary, Imo State University Alumni Association, Anayo Chukwunonye Uhiara, PhD

 

Members of IMSU Alumni National Executive Council here present and other members of our Alumni Association here present

 

Our Dear Hon. Commissioner,

 

We are here to express hearty felicitations to you, on your well deserved appointment as Commissioner of Foreign and International Relations and member of Imo State Executive Council. His Excellency, Governor Hope Uzodinma has demonstrated, once again, that he means business to bring prosperity and real value of governance to Imo people by this singular act of appointment.

 

Your portfolio is novel in the history of Imo State, being the very first time that such a ministry is coming into existence. It underscores how strategic your position in this government is. The Governor of Imo State has, by this singular appointment, given you a strategic blank cheque, to develop, in your own ways, the policy focus of Imo State in relation with the International Community. This is a big task and it is only given to people who have earned the confidence of His Excellency, Governor Imo State.

Imo State University 

 

We know you to be an international personality and there is no iota of doubt in us, that you will make the best of this opportunity to place Imo State among the most sought after in the comity of State governments across the world; so that Direct Foreign Investment (DFI) in areas of finance, education, university exchange programs, infrastructure, technology, sports, agriculture, Arts and Tourism, Youth development, Transport, etc will troop into our dear State under your supervision.

 

We are also here to engage you on the areas that our Association can assist you in bringing value to the work that you are doing as Hon. Commissioner in charge of one of the most critical areas of government business: Foreign and International Relations. This engagement is necessary because our Alumni Association has metamorphosed into a global association that has established Chapters in North America and Europe. Our members in these chapters can assist your ministry in creating liaisons for the attraction of value to Imo State in their various spheres of activity, business and career.

 

This Alumni Association is also a Development partner to government and a critical stakeholder in the Imo Project. It is our desire that you carry this Association along in your key policy engagement areas, so that our members, most of whom are competent in Consultancy in Foreign Relations development areas can assist you in achieving results and timelines.

 

May God continue to imbue you with wisdom and grace to create, nurture and advance the best Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations in Imo State as the pioneer commissioner; and may the strategic relationship between this ministry and the Imo State University Alumni Association yield positive results that will advance the cause of our university and the government of Imo State.

 

Accept our best wishes always.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

 

Ezeala Ferdinand Akano, MA, MIRSS, B.Sc

President

21st May