National President of the Immigration Officers Wives Association(IMMOWA) , and wife of the Acting Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service ,Hajiya Maryam Isah Jere, on Thursday, performed a foundation laying ceremony for the construction of IMMOWA multi-purpose hall in Enugu.
She also flagged -off the tree planting campaign and inaugurated the Enugu state chapter of IMMOWA.
In her inuagural address, at the event held at the premises of the Nigeria Immigration Service , Enugu Command, Emene, Enugu, the national president commended the Enugu state command of the association for taking a bold step to embark on the projects.
She said the multi- purpose hall project, would have provision for a creche for young mothers of the Immigration service to take care of their babies and perform their duties comfortably.
The creche she said, will make it easier for the young mothers to take good care of their babies at work.
In her words, ” Enugu IMMOWA chapter has decided to make me proud by presenting heart of growth and development. This is a great sign that by being inuagurated today, you will present more of positive actions than words.
“Thank you for bringing innovation that will impact positively in lives of your members and the society at large and let your voices be heard.”
She urged members of the association to go back and do something in their various states, something important at their level, saying:
“Within a short period of time, Enugu IMMOWA has taken the bull by the horn. That has motivated me to be here , all by myself to show you that I appreciate you all.
” You have not only deem it fit to
take care of the home front, but you have extended your good heart to environmental because tree planting is a healthy life plan for providing sufficient oxygen for the well-being of humans and animals.
“Thank you for thinking it wise to provide a creche for young mothers to enable them to concentrate on their jobs .
“I want to challenge you to be ready to explore because this is a foundation of bigger project ahead.I believe that with God, nothing is impossible”, Jere said.
Performing the inuaguration of Enugu state chapter of IMMOWA, the National President urged the members to be caring, saying, “Remember to always be your sisters’ keeper. Endeavour to keep our husbands in good health of mind because if not for them, there will be no IMMOWA.
“My dear women, you have really made me proud. I, Hajiya Maryam Isah Jere hereby, inuagurate IMMOWA, Enugu chapter today March 24, 2022”.
In her speech, the Deputy Governor of Enugu state, Hon. (Mrs) Cecilia Ezeilo, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Dr Chioma Ugwu, pledged Enugu state government’s continous support for IMMOWA.
She promised to relay their request to the state government. The permanent Secretary also announced Deputy Governor’s support to IMMOSA, Enugu chapter.
In his Goodwill message, the NIS Comptroller, Enugu state Command, Joachim Olumba Pcc, said that in 2021 he promised executive members of IMMOWA who paid him a visit that he would achieve the inuaguration of IMMOWA in Enugu command based on the request of the visiting members.
He said he advised the women to initiate a concrete and meaningful project when inuagurated, which they accepted and they all settled for a transformational and life impacting project( a Multi-purpose hall project that will house a creche that will benefit young Immigration mothers).
He highlighted some achievements of his administration within a short period of six months to include , commissioning and commencement of production of e-passport project, ten-year validity passport , completion and movement of the NIS, Enugu state command from their former place( where they had been for 30 years) to a permanent ultra modern office complex, built solely by an illustrious son of Enugu state, Engr. Stanley Ani, Managing Director of an Indigenous Construction company and support from Engr. Onuora Nnabugwu and Engr. Ezeh, who made the office complex to be of high standard among other feats .
He said that the great feats attracted the Minister of Internal Affairs, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and two Comptroller-Generals to Enugu twice.
Olumba added that they decided to support their wives based on the encouragement they got from the national body.”They have been very supportive in our careers in the NIS. It is now time to show them support in their stabilizing roles in our lives, “he said.
He assured the National President that they will go an extra mile to support their wives and ensure the completion of the multi-purpose hall.
The Comptroller urged male officers, whose wives have not joined IMMOWA to encourage their wives to join the noble association.
Olumba said that the Comptroller-General tasked him in 2021 to plant trees in the office complex to protect the place from imminent challenges of climate change . He therefore charged all staff to plant at least one tree, saying that they want the premises to be rush green, adding that they expect intervention from the Enugu State government.
The Comptroller commended the IMMOWA national president, the wife of Enugu state governor, Mrs Monica Ugwuanyi and the Deputy Governor, Hon( Mrs) Cecilia Ezeilo, saying, ” Both of them are a pride to humanity and they offer great inspiration to womanhood” He thanked them for their support and appealed that they support IMMOWA in building the multi-purpose hall.
Earlier in her welcome address, Chairperson of IMMOWA, Enugu state chapter, Mrs Bibian Olumba, said that the inauguration ceremony implies that IMMOWA (Enugu state chapter) has been born as a full-fledged body which has permanently come to stay.
“The impact of the Association will now be stronger and more pronounced. It is for this reason that we decided to organize along with this formal inauguration , the foundation laying ceremony of IMMOWA multi-purpose hall project .
” The project will eventually birth a creche which shall offer support to young mothers in Enugu state Command in looking after their babies in a conducive environment while they are on duty. This will help nursing mothers serving in the Command concentrate on their duties while their babies enjoy the care of professionals during official hours,” Mrs Olumba said.
The chairperson thanked Enugu state government for it’s support, saying that they ” shall be needing the assistance and support of the government and people of Enugu state, all Immigration officers in the Command and beyond to achieve this laudable project.
“We pledge to put to good and prudent use, whatever support we receive from good spirited individuals and the government of Enugu state in the execution of our multi-purpose hall project,” the state chairperson said.
She described the presence of the IMMOWA National President as historic , noting that it was the first time the wife of a serving Comptroller- General of Immigration was visiting Enugu state Command to perform an official assignment.
“It is even made more unique and memorable by the fact that the Immigration Officers Wives
Highlights of the event were foundation laying of the Multi-, purpose hall by the national president, Hajiya Jere and the flag,-off of tree planting campaign by the president and the Deputy Governor of Enugu state, Hon.(Mrs) Cecilia Ezeilo, who was represented by her Permanent Secretary, Dr. Chioma Ugwu.
