A bill seeking to transfer drugs and poison control from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent legislative list on Thursday suffered a setback at the House of Representatives when it came up for a second reading.
Some lawmakers have opposed the bill saying devolving drug control to states could lead to proliferation of unwholesome drugs.
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The bill sponsored by Rep Abbas Tajudeen was aimed at allowing states power to control drugs to ensure better and effective regulations.
It was titled: “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Second Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
1999 (as amended) to Transfer Drugs and Poisons from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List”.
He said the bill which enjoys supports from the 36 state governors would enhance better control of drugs when passed.
But Rep Ossai Nicholas Ossai opposed the bill saying it would be dangerous to devolve the issue of drugs control to states as that could lead to proliferation of unwholesome drugs.
Rep Olumide Osoba while opposing the bill said there was need to specify the kind of drugs that should be transferred to the concurrent list.
However, Rep Uzonma Abonta supported the bill saying the “exclusive list is overloaded and weighing the Federal Government down”, saying that NAFDAC lacks the capacity to effectively monitor and control drugs in states, hence the need for the transfer of drugs control to the concurrent list to allow states to control.
On his part, Rep Alhassan Ado Doguwa supported the bill saying it has good intentions of strengthening effective drugs control at the state level, saying it will be a “win-win” for both the federal and state governments.
The bill however did not scale through the second reading when it was put to a voice vote by Deputy Speaker Ahmed Idris Wase.
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