Oyo Ministry Of Agric Lacks Power To Seal Pharmacy Over Sale Of Veterinary Drugs – ACPN Makes Clarifications
...Appeal To Makinde To Intervene
The association of community pharmacists of Nigeria, Oyo state has expressed displeasure over the actions of the Veterinary Council of Nigeria VCN in conjunction with the officials of Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in the recent sealing of a Pharmacy supermarket in Ibadan, Finrel Pharmacy, Olorunsogo, Ibadan.
The community Pharmacists in a press conference held in Ibadan on Friday said the ministry was only using state law that is an afront to the Federal government’s exclusive legislation that cannot be subsumed under the Oyo state house of assembly legislation
Recall that the state government, through the ministry of agriculture sealed FinRel Pharmacy Supermarket and Bakery, Olorunsogo, Ibadan for violating the Oyo State Veterinary Practicing Premises Registration Regulation 2018, Oyo State Private Veterinary Premises and Veterinary Establishment law, 2017 and Animal Diseases Control Act, 2022.
Sealing the premises on Monday in Ibadan, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye said FinRel was operating an illegal veterinary pharmacy and engaging in Veterinary Clinical Services.
Reacting to the allegations during the press conference, Chairman, Association of community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, Oyo State, Pharmacist Adebayo Gbadamosi debunked the allegation of engaging in veterinary clinical services, saying the ministry lacks the power to carry out such action.
“Veterinary Doctors through their association; Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association have challenged the Pharmacy Council Act (Legislation of National Assembly) which empowered Pharmacy Council of Nigeria the legal responsibility to determine who is qualified to manufacture, import, store, sell, dispense and premises where drugs including herbal, supplement, veterinary drugs and biologics are handled. The suit was to determine whether Veterinary Doctors are not legally empowered to handle veterinary drugs?.
“The judgment delivered by Hon. Justice (Dr) Nnamdi O. Dimgba of the Federal High Court of Nigeria in the Abuja Judicial Division of Friday March 24, 2017 affirmed that Pharmacy Council of Nigeria is the legal entity for the regulation of animal drugs and biologics and have the mandate to determine who is charged with the responsibility of storage, sale and dispensing as well as premises where animal drugs and biologics are to be handled.
Gbadamosi explained that the sealing of the pharmacy supermarket was a charades and cannot hold water, noting that the ministry was taking action on a matter that was already in the court of law since February 2023
“When ACPN was brought to the knowledge of this law in October 2022 we wrote a letter to the Commissioner of Agriculture asking for a meeting to inform the ministry on why the law CANNOT stand because of the observed conflicts in its provisions. We were prevented by the director of veterinary service, one Mrs Azeez from meeting the commissioner but instead asked us to go to the court if we are not happy with the law. To our dismay, during our correspondences with the ministry of Agriculture, the task force from the Ministry started going to community pharmacies to harass our members and to seal their premises. This move was resisted and we immediately filed a suit to challenge the Veterinary practicing Premises Registration Regulation 2018 on 10th Feb 2023 at the federal high court of Nigeria Ibadan judicial division.
“The community pharmacists are resolute and trust in the outcome of the suit in court and may resort to self-help to defend ourselves if veterinary council in whatever guise come close to any of our premises by not waiting for the outcome of the court henceforth.
“During the pendency of a suit at the high court challenging the Veterinary practicing Premises Registration Regulation 2018 at the federal high court of Nigeria Ibadan judicial division, the veterinary doctors spearheaded by the director veterinary services, Oyo State ministry of Agriculture started to blackmail one of our members by sponsoring videos of unknown persons outside his premises injecting a pet. The said video was used to create a scenario of pharmacies offering veterinary services that could lead to the breakout of anthrax. This video is unfortunate, very misleading, height of mischief and done to damage the hard earned image of the member in question in his community.
” Veterinary doctors came to Oyo state to smuggle in a bill in a shoddy manner at the Oyo state House of Assembly which was passed as the Veterinary Practicing Premises Registration Regulation 2018 using revenue generation as a bait to the state government. Unknown to the Oyo State government, the veterinary doctors true intent is to use the bill to promote an illegal control of animal drugs which is on federal government exclusive legislation and by the pronouncement of the High Court mentioned above is illegal for the Veterinary Doctors to claim control over.
While appealing to governor Seyi Makinde to intervene on the matter, the ACPN chairman called on the commissioner of police to avoid been used by the ministry of agriculture in achieving what he described as illegality purposes.
“We are using this medium to appeal to His Excellency Engr Seyi Makinde, our performing Oyo state Governor to call the director of veterinary services ministry of agriculture Mrs Azeez to order.”
“Also we are calling on the Commissioner of Police Oyo State Command and all other security agencies not to allow Oyo State Ministry of Agric to use them in achieving illegitimate purposes concerning our premises. As said, we are law abiding and would comply with the outcome of the court once concluded.”
Also speaking, chairman Pharmaceutical Society Of Nigeria, Oyo state, pharmacist Oguntoye Adegboyega who alledged that the actions of the ministry was a witch hunt, explained that steps by the association to meet the commissioner of agriculture through the director of veterinary services was rejected.
Others who lend their voices at condemning the actions of the ministry included pharmacist Taofik Odukoya, pharmacist Obajimi Jaiyesimi
