Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has enjoined Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to prevail on the Ministry of Agriculture and veterinary doctors in the state to wait for the court judgement for determination of who controls veterinary clinics in the state.
The association noted that this is necessary in order to avoid an impending crisis in the state.
Recall that Oyo State government through the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Olasunkanmi Olaleye, in a statement issued recently, had claimed that FinRel Pharmacy Supermarket and Bakery in Ibadan was sealed because it was operating an illegal veterinary pharmacy.
But, ACPN in an open letter addressed to the governor advised him to prevail on the ministry and veterinary doctors in the state to wait for the ongoing court judgement before further action is taken over who has right to control veterinary clinics in the state.
The association in the petition signed by its chairman in the state, Pharmacist Adebayo Gbadamosi, insisted that there is an ongoing court case filed by the association at the Federal High Court in Ibadan over who has right and who controls veterinary clinics in the state.
Gbadamosi, in the petition, a copy of which was made available to journalists, said that in the recent past, there were litigation between Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association and Pharmacy Council of Nigeria under whose purview is the regulation of animal drugs in Nigeria.
He maintained that judgement delivered by Justice Nnamdi 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 biologic and have the mandate to determine who is charged with responsibility of storage, sale and dispensing of animal drugs and biologic.
Gbadamosi, who said that Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association in the state sponsored a bill at the State House of Assembly and the bill was subsequently passed into law with the sole aim to attack Community Pharmacists registered by Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, explained further that the move was resisted by ACPN through a case filed at the Federal High Court in Ibadan.
He said that the case is still pending at the court, insisting that it was unfortunate that the ministry and the veterinary doctors did not wait for the court judgement before it went ahead to seal the pharmacy.
He called on Makinde to prevail on the concerned individuals to wait for the court judgement before further action is taken.
“The judgement 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 biologic and have the mandate to determine who is charged with responsibility of storage, sale and dispensing of animal drugs and biologic.
“Not satisfied with the outcome of the courts, Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association through their agents in the Oyo State Ministry of Agric and Natural Resources smuggled a bill into the Oyo State House of Assembly without due process, required public hearing and inputs from various sectors of the state. The bill was subsequently passed into law with the sole aim to attack Community Pharmacists registered by Pharmacy Council of Nigeria who undertake the sale and dispensation of human and animal drugs in Oyo State.
On the premise of this law, staff of Ministry of Agric and Natural Resources with their Veterinary Medicine practitioners began onslaught against pharmacists by sealing their premises on the pretence that they deal in animal drugs and biologic.
“The move was resisted and the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, Oyo State branch filed a case at the Federal High Court, Oyo State Division against them for interpretation of the law and harmonisation with previous judgements of the Courts of competent jurisdiction in the land. Unfortunately, while the case is in the court, Oyo State Ministry of Agric and Natural Resources trumped up a media trial against one of our colleagues; FINREL PHARMACY through a video purporting animal handling in his premises.
*It is noteworthy that the video upon which the action was predicated was not taken within the Pharmacy and its operational areas. We believe in your usual and timely response to issues bordering on security and peaceful co-habitation of the residents of Oyo State and we hope this ugly situation would be finally resolved speedily”.
