Guardian

KANO State governor, Dr. Rubiu Kwakwanso, has been commended by pharmacists in the country on the successful closure of the “obnoxious” Sabongeri open drug market.

The pharmacists under the aegis of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) lauded the courageous effort of the state government at safeguarding the health of residents, urging other state governments to emulate Kwakwanso’s example.

In a commendation message conveyed by the President of the association, Olumide Akintayo, the pharmacists stated that the “unprecedented move of resisting the usual dangerous maneuvers of these merchants of death” was well received and appreciated by the confederation of Nigerian pharmacists and every Nigerians of goodwill.

“The political will demonstrated by your Excellency, confirms that there is nothing clairvoyant in undiluted compliance with the laws of the land,” the message read in part.

Akintayo noted that the gesture again vindicated PSN’s age long position that the most pragmatic approach government could deploy in tackling the fake drug syndrome in Nigeria remains “dismantling of the plethora of open drug markets littering all our major cities in Nigeria.”

He said posterity places Kano State governor in vantage position as one who refused to be intimidated by mundane considerations in dealing a decisive blow to the pharmaceutical albatross in his state.

Continuing he said: “We do also reckon that nobody can impeach the credibility of the process that led to your Excellency’s compliance with the provisions of Section 2 (1) of the Fake Drug Act which prohibits the sales of drugs in unregistered places by the appropriate licensing authority.”

“We urge you to remain very strong in resisting any attempt to reverse this most laudable initiative by the personality cults in high places. This appeal becomes imperative as we have observed that even major stakeholders, who hitherto took a position that it was impossible to dismantle drug markets, are suddenly attempting to claim credit for an initiative which we know is wholly that of the State government.”

The PSN president also commended Kano State government for the decision to immediately employ about 100 pharmacists for overseas training, in a bid to strengthen the pharmaceutical sector in the state.

The PSN assured Kwakwanso that the employed pharmacists would not let his government down.

He further said: “It is our hope that the development in Kano State will inspire other State governors to do the needful in tackling the menace of fake drug distribution in their domain as your Excellency shares this experience at the Nigeria Governors Forum.”