Plateau State University (PLASU) says it is determined to end the state’s dependence on pharmacy graduates trained outside its borders by producing professionals who can compete globally.
Vice Chancellor, Professor Shedrack Best, made this known during a courtesy visit by the Plateau State branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) on August 12th.
“I am not ready to train pharmacists who will come out of PLASU and play second fiddle to anyone,” he said. “We will provide everything needed to ensure our graduates are competitive and well-equipped.
He stressed that the university’s new Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences would be grounded in strict professional standards.
“We are fully aware of the demands of the pharmacy program, including the necessary equipment and machines. We have the zeal and the will to provide everything necessary for professional training,” Best added.
The Vice Chancellor pledged full support for the PSN and other professional bodies, assuring them of the university’s cooperation in training, research, and upholding ethical standards.
He also committed to supporting the association’s activities, including the upcoming World Pharmacist’s Day in September.
Leading the PSN delegation, Pharmacist Meshach Dayol, representing Chairman Domjul Doptip, congratulated Best on his appointment, saying, “There couldn’t have been a better person to do the job than you.”
He also acknowledged Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s role in establishing the faculty, describing it as a major step for the profession in Plateau.
In a statement signed by Acting Public Relations Officer, Masara Kim, Dr. Dauda Dangiwa, Head of the Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice at the University of Jos, praised PLASU for consulting industry professionals early.
He described pharmacy as “a demanding profession requiring significant investment in training and equipment” and pledged the association’s full support for the faculty’s official take-off in October.
The Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is one of two new faculties approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in January and has already begun admitting students for the 2025/2026 academic session.
The meeting ended with both Dayol and Dangiwa presenting awards to Best for his leadership in advancing pharmaceutical training in the state.
