…Says it is to close manpower gap in healthcare sector
Rivers State government right from Nyesom Wike to Sim Fubara has been sending about 100 medical students on scholarship to the PAMO University of Medical Sciences (PUMS). Despite relationship going sour between the former governor and his mentor, Peter Odili, founder of PUMS, the present governor, Fubara, has continued the policy.
Now, Gov Fubara has tried to justify the policy of government.
He said the investment in training students of medical and health sciences at the PUMS was designed to fill existing manpower gap in the health sector of the State.
Gov Fubara, represented by Ngozi Ordu, a professor and deputy governor of the state, who was a dean in PUMS, made this known at the 8th Founders Day and 5th Convocation ceremony of PUMS in Port Harcourt.
Gov Fubara commended graduands especially beneficiaries of the scholarship programme of Rivers State Government in the university saying that their successful completion of the programme was proof that the investment in them was worthwhile.
The governor described the growth and success stories of PUMS as a product of resilience, dedication to excellence, hard work, discipline.
Gov Fubara also assured the graduands of the readiness of the state government to receive them as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.
Gov Fubara, on behalf of the people of the State, condoled PAMO University and the family of Victor Onuoha, who until his passing, was the Registrar of the University.
Recall that Victor Onuoha was also a retired Deputy Executive Secretary (Administration) at the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Addressing the Congregation, Abdusallami Abubakar, a retired General and Chancellor and Chairman Board of Trustee PUMS, said that in it’s eight years of existence, PUMS has grown into a center of excellence.
He said the development led to the conferment of full accreditation to the university by the National Universities Commission.
Abubakar urged the graduands to go out and serve humanity with full confidence, as they have received the very best of training and discipline from the teachers and Staff members of the university.
In his convocation address, Odili, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council PUMS, expressed gratitude to Gov Fubara for maintaining a peaceful disposition in the face of intense political attacks and for providing good governance to the people of Rivers State.
Odili decried the mass exodus of health workers from Rivers State and Nigeria as silent crises rocking the medical and health sector.
Odili appealed to the governor to inrease the retirement age of health workers and do an upward review of their salaries to curb the manpower loss in the sector.
Odili hailed the move by Gov Fubara to another political party and called on everyone in the State to support the decision.
Odili said within the short period of existence, PUMS has produced 351 graduates out of which 121 are medical doctors.
Odili also noted that PUMS is the only university in Nigeria with the highest number of female students.
The reports show that graduates of PAMO are shining stars in their various places of employment, a testimony he said showed that the choice of PAMO was in the right direction.
Odili charged the graduands to not only become worthy ambassadors of the instruction, but to beat the records already set by their predecessors in their various fields of practice.
In his valedictory speech on behalf of the graduands, newly qualified doctor, Joel Onisokien Iboro, the overall best graduating student, attributed their success to the numerous sacrifices made by them during the training and the grace of the Almighty God.
