The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has declared the passage of the Veterinary Practising Premises Registration Regulation 2018 into law by the Oyo State House of Assembly as a contravention to National Assembly legislation.
The association described the law passed by the state lawmakers as an affront to the federal government’s exclusive power on drugs.
ACPN chairman in the state, Mr. Adebayo Gbadamosi made these declarations while addressing a press conference in Ibadan, the state capital, on Friday.
It was learnt that the state House of Assembly had earlier passed the Veterinary Practising Premises Registration Regulation 2018 into law to regulate the sale, storage, and dispensing of animal drugs in the state.
The state government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, claimed on Monday that it had sealed FinRel Pharmacy Supermarket and Bakery in Ibadan for violating the state Veterinary Practising Premises Registration Regulation 2018.
But Gbadamosi, while addressing journalists, insisted that some sections of the law passed by the state House of Assembly are an affront to the federal government’s exclusive power on drugs.
While describing the action of the ministry as illegal, Gbadamosi explained that only the federal government, through the National Assembly, has the power to legislate and determine who sells drugs, be it to human beings or animals.
Gbadamosi, flanked by the state chairman of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Oguntoye Adegboyega, and other members of the association, called on the police and other security agencies in the state not to allow the ministry to use them to promote illegality.
He maintained that the harassment of members of the association by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development could lead to a crisis in the state.
Gbadamosi called on the state governor, Seyi Makinde, to intervene on the matter.
He said: “It has become imperative that the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), a technical arm of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), address the general public on the unfortunate actions of the Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN) through the official of the Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in the past few months, on the members of ACPN, using the Veterinary Practise Premises Registration Regulation 2018, a law passed by the Oyo State House of Assembly without due process of proper public hearing and inputs from various sectors of the state that the law would ultimately affect.
“Some sections of this law passed by the Oyo State House of Assembly are in affront to the National Assembly’s exclusive legislation, which cannot be subsumed under the Oyo State House of Assembly legislation.
“Drug matters, just like national security, are under exclusive federal government legislation, and this includes both human and animal medicines. It is only the National Assembly that has the right to legislate on such matters, and where any state dabbles in it, if the outcome is contrary to the National Assembly’s position, the provision of the National Assembly naturally supersedes. State’s Houses of Assembly have the power to legislate on matters on the concurrent legislative list, but in this case not drugs”.
He said further: “We are using this medium to appeal to His Excellency, Gov Seyi Makinde, to call the director of veterinary services at the Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Azeez, to order. Community pharmacists are resolute and trust in the outcome of the suit in court and may resort to self-help to defend ourselves if the Veterinary Council, in whatever guise, comes close to any of our premises [without] waiting for the outcome of the court henceforth.
“Also, we are calling on the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State and all other security agencies not to allow the Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture 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”.
