A former governorship candidate in Rivers State, Prince Tonye Princewill has emerged the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the University of Port Harcourt Alumni Association (UPAA).
The inaugural ceremony of the Board which took place in Port Harcourt, Rivers State at the weekend, was attended by members of the National Executive Council, President’s of chapters and alumni members worldwide.
In his keynote address delivered at the event, National President of the Association and a former Minority Whip in the Nigerian Senate, Senator Darlington Nwokocha described the event as a defining moment for the association, adding that the constitution and innauguration of the board provides the moral compass, legal backbone and strategic guardianship of the long term vision of the association.
He extolled the individual and collective credentials of the board members stressing that their ratification by the congress of the association reflects the credibility and tremendous trusts which the alumni community holds of them.
“We will look up to you for your wise counsel, critical reviews and strategic alignment as we embark on our vision to reconnect, reinvest and repositioned the Uniport Alumni association”, Nwokocha said.
Responding on behalf of other Board members, the Chairman Prince Tonye Princewill said he was accepting the position with deep humility and sense of responsibility and pledged the commitment of the board to serve as stewards of integrity, guardians of trusts and partners in the progressive transformation of the association.
The former governorship candidate restated the determination of the board to work in partnership with the National Executive Committee towards ensuring alignment, transparency and accountablility in the implementation of the strategic goals of the body.
“Beyond the letters of the constitution lies deeper obligations; to lead with compassion, to act with integrity and to ensure that every decisions we take strengthens the foundations of the association for future generations”, the chairman declared.
Highlights of the event included the investiture of Prince Tonye Princewill as new chairman of the Alumni board as well as the unvieling of four flagship projects including a High Flier Scheme aimed at promoting accademic excellence in the institution; the establishment of a Library, Museum and an Alumni Hall of Fame while a functional Agric Hub to promote food production and entrepreneurship and an Alumni Bakery and bottled water plant to promote social enterprise and sustainability were also unveiled by the National President of association .
