Pharmacists Reject Mora as PCN Chairman,Threaten Nationwide Strike
Martins Ifijeh
Pharmacists have rejected the appointment of Mr. Ahmed Tijjani Mora as chairman of the Governing Board of the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN).
Opposition to Mora’s appointment is being spearheaded by President of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria (PSN), Mr. Sam Ohuabunwa, and all his predecessors, who have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the inauguration of Mora as the board chairman.
In an open letter to the president yesterday, and signed by all nine former and present presidents of the association, the pharmacists said should Mora be inaugurated, PSN would mobilise pharmacists to embark on a nationwide strike.
Signatories to the open letter are Ohuabunwa, and past presidents of PSN - Ahmed Yakassai, Olumide Akintayo, Azubike Okwor, Anthony Akhimien, O. Uwaga, Mohammed Yaro Budah, Eme Ekaite, and Philip Emafo.
They said: “The PSN observes with satisfaction a seeming tendency to appoint fit and proper persons as chairman of the PCN, which is a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Health that regulates and controls pharmacy in all aspects and ramifications which therefore grounds the PCN as the template of ethics and values of the pharmacy profession.
“In the circumstance, our pedigree and heritage are determined by the moral and ethical quality of the person who is appointed chairman of the Governing Council of the PCN.
“From all the evidence adduced above, it is our view that Mora carries a heavy moral and ethical burden, which gravely damages his suitability for the sacred job of chairman of the PCN.
“We strongly enjoin the federal government to continue its tradition of consulting with the PSN as part of due diligence to ensure quality control of persons who emerge as chairman of the council.”
They called on the president to allow PCN produce three nominees through the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) from which the federal government will pick one to chair the board, adding that alternatively, Buhari can appoint any other pharmacist from the same zone with Mora.
“It may interest the president to note that the person the PSN originally recommended to the minister as chairman is Yaro Budah, who actually was nominated by the minister of health to the secretary to the federal government in a letter dated May 2018.