The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria has protested the choice of Mr A. T. Mora as the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria by the Federal Government.
The PSN insisted that Mora fell short of the ethical requirements for the position.
It called on all hospital and administrative pharmacists in government hospitals, community and industrial pharmacists in the private sector to “proceed on a total strike and withdrawal of their services.”
While directing all registered pharmacists to boycott all activities of the PCN forthwith, the PSN solicited the support of all other health workers to “resist this imposition on the pharmacists in Nigeria that may signal an inadvertent move to destroy professional ethics and integrity.”
The protest by the PSN was contained in a June 14, 2020 open letter by its current and former presidents to the President, Major General Muhammedu Buhari (retd.).
The letter was signed by PSN’s President, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa; and past presidents – Dr Philip Emafo, Senator Eme Ekaette, and Alhaji Mohammed Budah.
The letter read partly, “Today, Pharm. Mora parades himself as the first Professor of Clinical Pharmacy in Nigeria without a PhD in Clinical Pharmacy or the core pharmaceutical sciences. He is said to have a PhD in Management from a University in Sokoto State but became a professor of Clinical Pharmacy in Igbinedion University, Okada, after only about five years in full-time academic work – 2012 to 2017.
“This is unprecedented and gives room for doubt. We believe that this needs to be investigated by the Federal Government, especially at a time the NUC talks of the existence of fake professors in Nigeria. Should this kind of stories with innuendos be circulating about the Chairman of PCN Council?
“It is our view that Pharm. A. T. Mora carries a heavy moral and ethical burden which gravely damages his suitability for the sacred job of Chairman of PCN.
“We therefore strongly appeal that PSN be allowed to produce three nominees through the Federal Ministry of Health from which the Federal Government will make a credible choice as chairman. Alternatively, the President can appoint any other pharmacist from the same zone as A. T. Mora.”
