The Director of Public Affairs of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh, has retired after 30 years of service.
Jimoh, an astute journalist, was one of the several of Directors in the Federal Civil Service affected by the eight years tenure policy of the Federal Government for Directors.
In an emotional hand over meeting with staff of the Public Affairs across the country, one of the Deputy Directors in the Department, Mr Paul Oyemonlan took over from him.
Jimoh, who was reputed as one of the best public relations practitioners in Federal Civil Service, was employed in 1993 when NAFDAC was newly established and he was saddled with onerous task of setting up the public relations unit for the fledgling agency.
Barely two years into the operations of NAFDAC, Dr. Jimoh deployed his investigative journalism skill that led to the arrest of two Chinese nationals, Messrs. Fred Huang and Joseph Huang and confiscation of 28 lorry loads of counterfeit medicines worth millions of naira imported into the country.
In 1999, he was given double promotion by the pioneer Director-General of NAFDAC Emeritus Professor Gabriel Osuide for his hard work, diligence dedication to duty and confrontation with drug counterfeiters.
A recipient of several awards and recognitions, Jimoh had also received the best worker’s award and letters of commendation from successive Directors-General — late Prof. Dora Akunyili and Dr. Paul Orhii.
In 2018 Dr. Jimoh was one of the members of the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Drug Abuse, inaugurated by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He worked very hard under the chairmanship of Brigadier-General Buba Marwa who is currently doing a great job as Chairman of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
While responding to Dr. Jimoh’s retirement notice, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Christianah Adeyeye said, “I want to say thank you for the five years plus that we have worked together.
“The activities of the public affairs in the last many months have been impactful and it is very appreciated and I know it will continue. I wish you the best in future endeavours.”
Jimoh, who holds a Ph.D. in Political Economy, won two academic prizes in 1987 for the best graduating student in Political Science Department and also best graduating student in the faculty of the Social Sciences of University of Ibadan.
In 1993, he bagged a Masters Degree in Political Science from University of Lagos and Postgraduate Diploma in Management Information System from University of Ibadan in 1997.
In his five years journalism career at Kano State Government-owned Triumph Newspapers, Dr. Jimoh once served as Aviation Correspondent in Lagos and Kwara State Editor of the newspaper.
Some journalists in attendance at the valedictory session took turns to praise Jimoh’s professional accomplishments as a journalist, thoroughbred public relations practitioner and seasoned administrator.
