…As PSN President visits Pharmanews
The Managing Director, Pharmanews Limited, Pharm. (Sir) Ifeanyi Atueyi, has urged the President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Professor Cyril Usifoh, to run an all-inclusive administration without leaving any group or stakeholders behind.
He also charged the PSN president to ensure that all technical arms of the Society and interest groups collaborate as one indivisible body so as to achieve the desired results of the Society. He admonished Prof. Usifoh to be the president of all pharmacists without favourites.
The Pharmanews Publisher made the call on Tuesday during the PSN President’s visit to Pharmanews Corporate office in Lagos. Atueyi expressed his profound appreciation to Usifoh, whom he said was the third PSN President to have visited Pharmanews; as he reiterated the unalloyed commitment of Pharmanews to PSN, even to this new crop of leadership.
“It is on record that you are the third PSN President to visit us. Presidents Mohammed Budah and Ahmed Yakasai visited us during their tenures. It is also on record that you are the first active university professor to serve as PSN President, because Prof. Ebenezer Ogunlana served as PSN President after he retired from active service. You have also placed the University of Benin on record as the first university to produce PSN President. The university must be proud of you.
“For the next three years, you will be saddled with the onerous task of leading the 94-year-old PSN. I pray that God will grant you His wisdom and strength to tackle the leadership challenges. I know that you have set up some committees and surrounded yourself with advisers. But all their counsels should be presented to our omniscient God who has the final say on all issues.”, the Pharmanews boss counselled.
Atueyi further hinted Usifoh on the need for PSN to have continuous clarification of her vision and mission in order to satisfy the changing needs of the consumers of pharmaceutical services, stressing that it is the value the society places on pharmaceutical services that makes the profession relevant and respected. He therefore urged pharmacists to demonstrate their invaluable contributions in the healthcare space.
He said “To ensure a successful tenure, you need the counsels and experiences of others, but what you need most is the voice of God who only knows the right direction you should go at anytime. When your plans and programmes are in alignment with God's plans that is true success. As a believer, God has promised you that He will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; He will guide you with His eyes.
“On our part, we assure you of our commitment to PSN. I personally have been an active member, serving in Lagos State from 1972, then the sections and the national body. Today, I am still serving as the First Vice -President of the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy. From its inception in 1979, Pharmanews has worked as partners to the PSN. Our relationship with the past presidents has been cordial and we assure you of our continued support during your tenure”.
In his remarks, the PSN President appreciated Sir Atueyi’s advice, saying one of the things that is dear to his heart is conflict reconciliation among stakeholders in the pharma sector, saying he will carry everybody along during his tenure as the president of the Society.
Prof. Usifoh said “I believe God has led you to tell me some important things. We must subject whatever we are doing before God and when God leads, we must definitely leave a good legacy behind. One thing I believe the Holy Spirit has told me is that someone who didn’t even vote for me may be the one God will use to fight for the profession or lead a crusade. Some of the committees have been formed. We are all in the same party now, we must work together.
“I cherish all you have said and I thank you for documenting it because it will give me the opportunity to look at it and pray over it again at night. I know when we have good counsel from elderly statesman or someone who knows God, it is always word of wisdom that will guide us. I hope you will not complain that we disturb you too much when we call you some other times or may call you to seek for counsel on one thing or the other, I know you will be willing to assist and support us.
“We put your services on record and we will not forget to always rely on your wisdom to be able to move on, keep on praying for us just like you have done and I believe, after three years, when another person comes up, we would have a story to tell. Just like you said that when we are going to be inaugurated, we should be thinking of handing over, it is a vital advice because there is no second tenure; this means I have to begin to pray for who would come after me. This I will begin to do from now”
Also speaking during the visit, the National Secretary of the Society, Pharm. Gbenga Falabi, appreciated Pharm. Atueyi, for his service to the industry over the years. He noted that one of the subjects discussed during the PSN’s executives retreat recently which was also one of the excos five point agenda is that pharmacists must be at the forefront and the required recognition must be accorded to pharmacists, pointing that from now on, the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria will be doing more advocacy work and also work with all technical groups in the pharmaceutical sector.
In appreciation of the visit, Pharmanews presented an Appreciation Award Plague to the PSN President who in turn presented gift to Pharm. Sir and Lady Atueyi.
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