Association Decries Closure Of Pharmacies In Katsina

The Association of Pharmacy and Patent Medicine Vendors in Katsina State has expressed concern over the closure of some pharmacies across the state by the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN).
The association expressed its concern when members paid a courtesy visit to the Magajin Garin Katsina, Alhaji Aminu Abdulmulmuminu-Kabir, on Friday in Katsina.

Speaking on behalf of the members, the spokesman of the association, Alhaji Abu Safyanu said the action by the PCN’s Officer in-charge of the state, Mrs Farida Ibrahim, was doubling their hardship.
He said: “We’re doing our legitimate businesses, but all of a sudden, since she assumed office about a year and half ago, she has been making things difficult for us.

“At least if we’re doing something not in line with their rules and regulations, they should call our attention so that we can correct it, but instead the officials will just walk into our shops without notice.

She’ll just walk into our shops and take away some drugs and go away with them. We don’t even know where she’s taking them to.

Or she’ll just come and lock our shops. Therefore, we’re appealing to the Emirate Council to intervene in this issue, considering the current economic situation in the country, so that we can continue to feed our families.”

According to him, members of the association are not only into the business for their benefit alone, but also for the benefit of the general public in the state.

He said that the association was also supporting the government through reducing unemployment rate, saying that each of them was an employer of people from three to 10 under him/her.

Responding, the representative of the Magajin Garin Katsina, the Wakilin Kudu, Alhaji Abdu Iliyasu assured the association that the emirate council would do everything possible to intervene in the issue.
Investigation by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reveals that the PCN during inspection, has also sealed the premises of Lugga Pharmacy Ltd. NAN