By Shafi’u Yahaya
The Kano State Chairman of the National Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED), Mallam Mohammed Nura Abubakar, has appealed to the Kano State Government, members of the National Assembly from the state and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene over what he described as the alleged excessive enforcement activities of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) Task Force in Kano.
Abubakar questioned the legal basis for a civilian or trade association to impose fines or punishments on individuals or corporate bodies, particularly members of the patent and proprietary medicine profession.
He made the appeal while expressing concern over the recent activities of the PCN Task Force, which he said had visited Kano from Abuja and shut down some patent medicine stores operated by members of the association.
According to him, some of the affected shops were allocated to the members by existing hospitals in the state, but were allegedly sealed by the task force over their inability to pay fines imposed during the enforcement exercise.
Abubakar claimed that the fines were announced by the task force itself rather than being imposed through a court or mobile court process, and questioned the legal authority under which such penalties were being enforced.
He said the development had left some members of the association without means of livelihood, adding that the association was concerned about the impact of the enforcement activities on its members and their businesses.
The NAPPMED chairman appealed to the judiciary and the Registrar of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Alhaji Baba Shehu, to review the situation and provide clarification on the legal provisions guiding enforcement actions against patent and proprietary medicine vendors.
He also called for members of the association to be properly educated on the laws and regulations governing their profession and the authority of regulatory bodies to enforce compliance.
Abubakar said NAPPMED had been operating since 1961, a year after Nigeria gained independence, and urged the relevant authorities to consider the long-standing role of patent and proprietary medicine vendors in providing healthcare-related services to communities.
He further appealed for constructive engagement between the PCN and NAPPMED to address areas of disagreement and ensure that regulatory enforcement does not unnecessarily affect the livelihoods of compliant business owners.
The Kano NAPPMED chairman also called on patent and proprietary medicine vendors in other states to share their experiences, particularly on whether they face similar enforcement measures from the PCN Task Force.
He said the association remained committed to engaging relevant authorities through lawful channels to seek clarification and protect the interests of its members while ensuring compliance with applicable regulations.
