PAMO Varsity Cautions against Cultism, Drug Abuse
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
PAMO University of Medical Sciences has warned its students against involvement in cultism, drug abuse and other vices within and outside the school campus.
The acting Vice Chancellor of PAMO, Prof Christie Mato, gave the warning in her address during the university 7th matriculation ceremony held yesterday at the school premises in Elelenwo, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
THISDAY recalled that PAMO University, a private institution of learning established about seven years ago, has convoked three sets of graduands, with one set of medical doctors that graduated in December 2023.
Speaking further, the vice chancellor, who formally admitted the new undergraduates for the 2023/2024 session, said the institution has a total of 797 students in all the levels, adding that the school matriculated 198 students as new intakes.
Mato said: “A total of 797 students from 100 level to 600 level in the various programmes of Medicine, Nursing, Radiography, Med Lab Science, Physiotherapy, Anatomy, Pharmacology, Physiology and Biochemistry. These programme are all accredited, and so far, three sets of students have graduated from this university, with our first set of medical doctors graduating in December 2023.
“We started with 21 graduates, but at the last convocation on December 19, 2023, we had 89 graduates, 40 of them medical doctors, all graduating within the stipulated time and on schedule.
“Today, 198 students are matriculating, with approximately 76 percent in the MBBS programme; all students on scholarship obtained that scholarship on merit. No student on scholarship paid to be on the list, it was purely on merit, upholding our vision of excellence and core values of discipline and integrity.”
Prof Mato applauded parents and guardians of the matriculants for “your sacrifice in bringing up these young ones to this level; the pain, sweat, sleepless nights, working two jobs like some of you do to pay fees and put food on the table.”
She explained: “We are a mono-discipline university, specialising only in health-related programmes. When your children graduate, they will be doctors, nurses, medical laboratory scientists, radiographers, among others; each time they have a patient before them, they would have someone’s life in their hands.”
Mato told the parents to note that the university has zero tolerance for certain vices that may be permissible in other universities.
According to the VC, “There is zero tolerance for cultism and cult-related activities, zero tolerance for harassment, bullying and fighting, zero tolerance for examination misconduct/malpractice, zero tolerance for stealing, and zero tolerance for substance abuse.”
Mato appreciated the Pro-Chancellor, Dr. Peter Odili, “for catching and running with the God-given vision which gave birth to this university.”
She also acknowledged the magnanimity of the immediate-past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, in providing scholarships for 100 Rivers students admitted into the PAMO University every year since the university started.
“We also appreciate our present amiable and peace-loving Governor, Sir Siminalayi Joseph Fubara, for continuing with that legacy and adding another 50 to it, giving a total of 150 scholarships to Rivers indigenes admitted into PAMO University of Medical Sciences,” Prof Mato added.
In his remarks, former Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili, also admonished the students against involvement in the aforementioned vices. He advised parents to encourage their children rightly, stressing that the school will not tolerate any form of ignorance on the rules of the school.
