re-Location of the Medicine traders to the CWC.
The enforcement action underscores the commitment of both Agencies to enhance regulatory oversight, mitigate the prevalence of substandard and falsified medicines, and promote public health across Nigeria.
The Federal Government has ordered owners of the1370 Medicine stores sealed at sabon geri market kano to immediately relocate to the cordinated Whole sale Center, CWC for proper pharmacuetical regulation.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC, and the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, PCN sealed the 1370 wholesale medicine outlets and packing stores in Kano on the 18th of last month for refusing to relocate to the Coordinated Wholesale Centre, (CWC)
The sealed outlets are to report to the offices of NAFDAC and PCN at the Coordinated Wholesale Centre in Dangwauro area of Kano to arrange for the relocation of their businesses to the Centre.
The Director General of NAFDAC Prof Mojisola Adeyeye stated these in Abuja while briefing newsmen on the relocation of open drug marketers to Coordinated Wholesale Centre (CWC) in Kano.
Prof Adeyeye explained that over the years the medicine dealers in Kano have resisted all attempts by concerned regulatory authorities to relocate their pharmaceutical businesses from the open drug markets in Mai Karami plaza, Niger street, Malam Kato and Sabon Gari areas of Kano to the coordinated wholesale centres in Dangwauro area of the state.
She said the Coordinated Wholesale Centres (CWC) was established to address the chaotic drug distribution system in Nigeria through the movement of medicine from the manufacturer to the final consumer leading to substandard and falsified medicines in circulation.
The DG of NAFDAC explained that a landmark judgement was made by Justice Simon Amobeda in Kano Federal High Court on February 16, 2024, who ordered the open drug marketers in Kano to relocate their stores to Dangwauro Coordinated Wholesale Center (CWC), Zaria Road, Kano.
Sequel to this court ruling the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in conjunction with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) on 17th and 18th of February 2024 embarked on an enforcement action to cause the relocation of the medicine dealers from the open drug markets of Sabon Gari, Malam Kato and Mai Karaimi to the Coordinated Wholesale Centre.
The Minister of Health, Prof Muhammad Ali-Pate, had while addressing newsmen during an inspection of the CWC last week directed the drug dealers to relocate to the CWC on Dangwauro Road, Kano State.
“The safety of Nigerians, health and well-being were essential for the administration of President Bola Ahmed
I am here at CWC to see the direction taken by NAFDAC and PCN to improve quality distribution system, to safeguard the system from substandard counterfeit drugs and other illicit substances that are raking huge amount of havoc in our population.”
“We call on drug dealers to comply with the guidelines and provision of regulatory laws.
The open market system is chaotic and that is the route through which a lot of substandard and illicit drugs get to our population and youths damaging their future,”
According to the Minister, the drug distribution system is an essential element in improving the safety and efficacy of the medication that Nigerian population consume.
Prof Ali – Pate said that as the Federal Government unlocks the health value chain in Nigeria, there was the need to have a streamlined system for getting products from manufacturers to the market to the population.
Also speaking at the Inspection of the CWC, the Registrar, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Mr Babashehu Ahmed explained that the sealing of the 1,370 illegal drug dealers in Kano was to ensure speedy relocation to the CWC, describing it as a monumental milestone in sanitising the drug distribution system in the country.
“Today we are here to see full take off of what the Federal Government have Midwived targeted at safety of poeplebyvway of ensuring that Nigerians have access to quality Medcines.
We have come to a point where we expect that everybody that is selling Medicine in the market moved out of the open drug market and other unregistered locations and come to the CWC.”
The joint team of regulators enforcement operations came 72 hours after the Federal High Court ordered the drug dealers to vacate their open market premises and relocate to the CWC, at Dangwauro village on Zaria road in the state.
Meanwhile, Elders and concerned Stakeholders in Kano State says they cannot fold their arms and watch helplessly while the future of their society and that of their human resource is systematically destroyed by drugs and illicit substances.
Briefing newsmen, the elders, under the auspices of “KANO UNITY FORUM ON THE RELOCATION OF THE KANO PHARMACEUTICAL MARKET FROM SABON GARI MARKET TO THE NEW KANO ECONOMIC CITY, DANGWAURO,
clearly frowned that the state has been turned into a major consumption centre and exit point of the illicit drugs trade.
The elders warned that the unfortunate development will no longer be tolerated.
describing it as a calculated attempt to destroy Kano through the importation of dangerous and illicit drugs, a sad development which has become the greatest threat to Kano’s future and by extention Northern Nigeria.
“The menace of illicit drugs will no longer be tolerated in Kano as it is destroying the future of our youths and the society in general.
We wish to reassure all and sundry that Kano, as a cosmopolitan city, will continue to remain hospitable and welcoming to all. However, we will not allow anyone to perpetrate any activity inimical to the wellbeing of our people”
” It should also be clearly understood that we are speaking with one voice over this. We are also determined to follow all legitimate ways and means to put a stop to this unfortunate development”
“This orchestrated drugs war is a carefully planned war that is unleashed on our youths and our future generations. Many of these drug dealers operate openly in the Muhammad Abubakar Rimi Market, Sabongari, which is a clear violation of the relevant Federal and State Laws”
According to statistics obtained from the NDLEA the situation of drugs in kano state is very alarming. The figures clearly indicate that from the beginning of this year, that is January to date, Psychotropic substances seized in Kano included 5,040,000 pills of Tramadol weighing 267.4kg and 249,000 tablets of Exol-5 weighing 81.9kg. This is within a span of less than 60 days.
The elders are therefore calling on all the Pharmaceutical Traders operating in open drug markets in kano state to comply with the Government directives, as affirmed recently by the court, followed by directive by the Cordinating Minister of Health and Social Wlfare, Prof Ali -Pate to immediately relocate to the Cordinated Wholesale Center. CWC, at the Kano Economic City, located at Dangwaura Village on Zaria Road.
Cov/ Maureen.
