It gives me great joy and honour to express the delight of the NEC, Council and entire membership of PSN to the PSN Board of Fellows on the occasion of 2017 Mid-Year Meeting/Annual Dinner which is the flagship of BOF activities annually.

 

“Weathering the Storm of Economic Downturn: Now and Beyond” as the theme for this mid-year’s dinner lecture title is apt because Nigeria had been in economic decline for a few years before falling into recession in 2016. This has led many enterprises to tether on the brink of collapse and citizenry struggling to eke out a living. To survive this storm as the tides had changed rapidly because of unstable economy, the need to adapt and strategize for survival cannot be over emphasized. Adapting can be extremely challenging especially in a country that is highly bedeviled with more problems like insecurity, insurgency, kidnapping, armed robbery, militancy and corruption of unprecedented dimension.

 

As pharmacists, we must be aware of the fact that amidst all of this doom and gloomy setting, there abound great opportunities for enterprising and creative minds.

 

 

Business leaders and government bureaucrats are seeking for answers to questions posed by the prevailing dire economic situation on ground. I thank you for inviting His Excellency, Mr Peter Obi, Former Governor of Anambra State as the Guest Speaker and Hon. Dr Aliyu Modibbo Umar, Former Minister of FCT, Abuja and Commerce and Industry as Chairman of the occassion. I am very sure that they will do justice to the topic of today.

 

As Fellows of PSN, government, countless numbers of pharmacists, other health professionals and health sub cadres are looking up to you for directions and leadership to steer the ship of our nation at this precarious time. You must be seen as problems solver, proffering solutions as well as addressing the numerous needs arising from economic recession.

 

Innovation is the mother of inventions, for pharmaceutical industry to survive, there is need to be innovative. You must innovate or you are out of the scheme of things. This can only be achieved by approach of maximizing opportunities through keeping strong and focus on fundamentals.

 

While the struggle with seemingly unabated economic hardship lingers on, the will to survive should be our greatest resolve. We must ensure that we avail ourselves to the reforms unveiled by the Federal Government of Nigeria like the following:-

 

Local content in Public Procurement as stated in Executive Order

The National Industrial Policy

The Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, a Medium Term Plan for 2017-2020 etc.

Recession offers a unique opportunity for us to think out of the box with ingenuity as we strive for economic survival.

 

Thank you all.