The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has said that most of the patent medicine vendors in Kano State who refused to relocate to the newly built drugs only market have ulterior motives.
According to the council’s Registrar, Ibrahim Baba Shehu, the traders are insisting on remaining in markets for fear of government regulation because they are into fake and illicit drugs dealings.
Daily Trust on Sunday reports that the state government has, in partnership with a commercial bank, built a multi-billion naira drugs only market so as to have proper regulation of their activities. The traders have, however, refused to relocate to the market.
But when the PCN Registrar led a delegation of the council on a visit to the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Usaini Muhammad Gumel, over the weekend, he said world over, it is only in Nigeria that drugs are sold openly in markets.
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Shehu said, “No law approves selling medicine in markets, and that is why we are appealing to them to relocate before the deadline which will come soon.
“The new market will have PCN, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) and Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) offices. So, only people with ulterior motives or who are into illegal drugs would be dragging the issue. That is why we want to collaborate with the police so that when the deadline comes, they can help us do the needful.
“The problem is everywhere in the country, but it’s more prevalent in Kano, Lagos and Anambra,” he explained.
Responding, the CP promised to give the council all the necessary assistance to curb the state of illegal drugs dealings.
Gumel explained that sellers of drugs in markets contribute so much to drug abuse which in turn leads to insecurity.
