The diary of activities of the Chief Medical Director, CMD, of AEFUTHA, Prof. Robinson Chukwudi Onoh, recorded a landmark event last Thursday with the inauguration of the first set of Executives of the Staff Welfare Association elected under his watch. The inauguration ceremony which took place in his office featured key figures in the hospital administration department including the Director of Administration, Chief Calistus Azubuike Okonkwo, the outgoing Executive members of the Association, led by the Chairman, Com. Solomon Uzoke, the incoming Executive members led by the Chairman, Com. Pascal Akuma and the Election Committee members.

Presenting the Association Executives to the CMD for inauguration, the Director of Administration, Chief Okonkwo, traced the history of the election process in the Association and highlighted the new format in which Executive positions were zoned to departments and the departments were allowed to conduct election to produce those executives. This was a departure from the former pattern where the election of all executive members was centralized and involved all the departments. Chief Okonkwo praised the new format for being more inclusive and engendering less political acrimony and commended the Hospital Management for evolving the novel process and saving the hospital community from political bickering.

Chief Okonkwo further commended the outgoing leadership of the Association for their remarkable achievements which he enumerated to include building a strong foundation for the association, leaving no debt for their successors as well as building an edifice for the Association. He urged the incoming executives to key into these achievements as a stepping stone to greater achievements in their tenure.

The outgoing Chairman, Mr. Uzoke, in his hand-over speech pledged never to withhold vital information from the incoming team and restated his commitment to a strong and better staff welfare association.

In his acceptance speech, the incoming Chairman, Mr. Akuma, expressed gratitude to his predecessor, whom he described as a "Pointer." "Since we have a Pointer, a person we can emulate from and confide in, the work will be much easier," he said, adding that with the help of God Almighty his team would excel.

Inaugurating the new Exco, the CMD, Prof. Onoh, lauded the simplicity and transparency of both the election and the transition process and urged other associations to copy from the model. He congratulated the Exco members for their election and exhorted them to work with a team spirit, maintain cordial relationship with one another and support the Hospital Management for the betterment of the Association and the hospital community.

The full list of the newly inaugurated executives included the Chairman, Akuma Pascal; the Vice Chairman, Ogu Martha; Secretary, Ugwu Anthony; Assistant Secretary, Chima Princewill; Financial Secretary, Dr. Eze Chidi Eze; Treasurer, Onwe Thomas; Public Relations Officer, Egwu Edith Ebere; - Director of Socials Offorbuike Onwe; Provost 1, Okoh Bernard; Provost 2, Nworie Kenechukwu; and the D.A's Representative, Olughu Chinedu.

The ceremony was concluded with a prayer for the success of the new Exco and a group photograph.