Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, former representative of the Rivers South-East Senatorial District, has advised newly inducted pharmacists of the University of Port Harcourt to always maintain their professional ethics in the course of duty.
Abe who was the Chairman on the occasion of the 9th Induction/Oath-Taking Ceremony of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Port Harcourt called on graduands to create better value for the country’s health sector.
He expressed high expectations that the pharmacists will make Nigeria proud by using local herbs and materials for inventions in the health sector and medical sciences to tackle diseases.
Abe said: “Our expectation is that, in this 21st century, if the white man can make capsules out of our own bitter leaf and sell it all over the world, our professionals and intellectuals can look into the herbs and forests of Nigeria to search for and make medicines for our use”
“It is also our wish and expectation that these graduating Pharmacists will be able to do that for our country”.
He called on the Pharmacists to continue to be hardworking and sincere in their practice.
“If you want to be a great man or woman, to excel in what you do, then, you have to build your life. It will take suffering and take efforts on your part to achieve greatness.
“When we graduated from the Nigerian Law School just the way you are graduating today, they told us about how many lawyers were in Nigeria and said if we go to some Magistrate Courts, we shall find lawyers whose shoes were already bending but they also encouraged us that there is always room and space for the best at the top.
“So if you strive to be the best there is always room at the top for you”.
Citing the Cowboy’s Motto, the Senator warned the graduands against taking things that were not theirs, saying things that are not true and doing things that are not right.
“If you remember this Cowboy’s motto today, it envelopes everything they have told you here. Don’t be a thief, don’t tell lies and don’t go and do things that your mother will not be happy that you did.
It will pay greatly if you keep to these simple principles, you will all end up to be fantastic Pharmacists, great Nigerians and people who will add value everywhere”.
As part of measures to promote excellence, the Senator presented a monetary award to the parent of the overall graduating student of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Odunor Collins.
Earlier, in his keynote address titled: ‘Facing the Brave New Future’, Ugochukwu Agodi Okoroafor, noted that the pharmacists remains one of the most equipped to reach the brave new world of the future.
Okoroafor who is the Managing Director of Younity Synergy Limited, urged the graduands to work hard.
He added, “Nigeria has come to a point where there should be a revolution of the mind. In your midst today, there are great minds who will in future invent healing drugs that will tackle the diseases that challenge our world”.
In his speech on the occasion, Vice-Chancellor of University of Port Harcourt, Professor Ndowa Lale congratulated the graduands and urged them to continue to uphold the integrity of the institution at all times.
The Registrar of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, Pharmacist Elijah Mohammed who personally conducted the induction ceremony advised the pharmacists to be diligent in their duties as they were by law responsible for any mishaps arising from improper or criminal use of drugs under their control.
He called on the federal government to amend the necessary laws in other to give the pharmacists full powers over the procurement, distribution, and disbursement of drugs in the country.
