AN ADDRESS PRESENTED BY HON. DR. GODWIN EJIKEME ABONYI, DVM, MPH, JP. ON THE OCCASION OF HIS INVESTITURE AS THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT AND INAUGURATION OF THE NEW NATIONAL EXCO OF NVMA, TODAY FRIDAY 18TH NOVEMBER, 2016, ABUJA, NIGERIA.

 

PROTOCOLS,

 

It is my pleasure but though deeply humbled by the honour of addressing this historic gathering as the National President of Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA). As this marks the formal hand-over of power and responsibilities to me and the new Exco of our Association, I am very clear of the expectations and the enormous demands on us not only by our noble colleagues who have found us worthy to be entrusted with leadership but also the entire Nigerian society and beyond who look on to us as the key stake holders in the livestock subsector of the economy.

 

We are determined to live up to the expectations and take our Association to a new height.

 

As the theme of the congress that produced this new  EXCO postulates on Economic Diversification, we will strive to turn the present recession in the over-all economy into a visible growth in the livestock subsector as we hope to find an immediate and sustainable solution to the lingering crises of Herdsmen and crop farmers in all parts of Nigeria.

 

The Hon. Minister of Agriculture Chief Audu Ogbe has expressed his determination to find a permanent solution to the crises and I am assuring him and all the stakeholders in the industry that they will find a credible partner in the veterinary profession through the NVMA.

 

The challenges of the welfare of Veterinarians especially unemployment among the young graduates and the re-occurring problems of wages and allowances among Vets in public service will receive our attention.

 

I wish at this juncture to salute the efforts the of Federal Government and Governments at all levels at bringing Nigeria out of her present economic and socio-political crises and especially in the rehabilitation of the North-Eastern part of Nigeria devastated by insurgency. I appreciate in a special way the doggedness of the University of Maiduguri especially College of Veterinary Medicine who despite the crises was able to add fifty brand new Doctors into the Veterinary profession on Wednesday 16th November, 2016. I  extend the hand of credible and efficient partnership of NVMA to all the local and foreign Government and non-governmental organizations involved in the rehabilitation of the zone especially the Agro-livestock economy.

 

I wish to pay special tributes to all the former Presidents and officials of the NVMA, BOT members and founding fathers for all their contributions to bringing the Association to this level. Am assuring them that we shall build on their efforts and counsel to ensure the steady growth of the Association and our noble profession.

 

In a special way, I thank the immediate past president Dr. Edgar Sunday Amos and his team for the good job, my joy is that most of them including the President will be part of our team hence there will be no crises of lacunae.

 

In addition, I thank the Enugu LOC and State chapter of NVMA for organizing a grand Congress in the face of economic recession, a Congress that attracted the highest attendance participation of delegates in the history of the Association but particularly for organizing the congress that produced me as the National president

 

Finally, I thank all our special guests especially the chairman, our colleague and my former colleague in Pfizer Animal Health Group and currently, Deputy Chairman House of Rep. Committee on Works for Honoring this invitation and chairing it. Hon Dr. Abubaker Amuda-Kanike has been on over-sight inspection of Federal roads in the NE and NW Nigeria since Monday and to proceed to SW but had to break a little for this function. Hon Sir, I and your other colleagues highly appreciate this Honour, thank you Sir.

 

Last but not the least, I thank my family members, my wife, Dorathy though not close enough had continued to monitor my progress in this assignment and remained a pillar of support, my elder brother Ike Abonyi, very much here, I thank him immensely, On two occasions in 5 months interval I asked him that my colleagues want me to run for National president of our Association but I want to rest from the heat of election and campaing wahala-He would purse and later say go ahead, if he had said otherwise, I would not have been here as NVMA president. Thank you sir.

 

I intentionally continue to use my hard-earned Title of Hon, as an elected and served out person in the country, but I want to assure colleagues that it is not meant for show but to be a burden onto me that all I will do in the course of my service to this profession and the society will be done in a most honorable manner. Transparency and Accountability therefore will drive our operations.

 

My over all thanks will forever go to God Almighty from where all power  come. His guidance, inspiration and protection will be my only strength.   

 

Thank you all & God Bless.