Disturbed by challenges faced in controlling marketing of drugs, which promotes illegal consumption, governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state, consolidates efforts for creating an environment that will put strong measures against unregulated business in the drugs industry.
With the provision of special areas that would accommodate shops for drugs marketers in the emerging Kano Economic City, located at Dangwauro, few kilometers away from Kano city, in Kumbotso local government, drug marketing would now be under constant watch of the regulating agencies.
As governor reveals, “Where shops for drug marketing are provided within the modern Economic City, all regulatory agencies like Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Police, and others will also have offices around.”
This, according to the governor, would put all drugs sellers to be under constant watch of all the regulatory agencies, “…which would go a long way in chekmating illegal businesses in the drug industry. With the view to ensuring sanity in the industry,” he said.
Kano Economic City is a gigantic multi-billion Naira Public Private Partnership (PPP) project, which is being handled between the state government and Brains and Hammers company. Which is aimed at modernising business environment in the state.
During an inspection visit of the site recently, governor Ganduje assured that his administration would do everything possible to make sure that drug manufacturing, marketing and consumption are optimally controlled in line with rules and regulations governing the industry.
“Ours is to make sure that global best practice is observed, strengthened and maintained. The health of our people is always paramount. We shall do our possible best to safeguard the health of our people,” he promised.
He called on drugs marketers in the state to patronise the new modern market, as government is in place, at all levels, to safeguard the health of all. As well as protecting legal businesses for the overall development of the state.
Ganduje made that call during a Dinner organised by the state government in honour of His Highness
Eze Ndigbo Kano, President General and Igbo Traditional Leader in Diaspora, Igwe Boniface Ibekwe to rejoice with him (Ibekwe) on his 10th Offalla anniversary, which took place at Africa House, Government House, Kano, recently.
After assuring all that his administration would protect all interests that are compliant to rules and regulations, he called on all marketers of drugs in the state to always behave in accordance with laws for the health and security of the state in particular and the state in general.
“I am therefore using this medium to call on drug marketers to make sure that they leave other places they are doing their businesses and relocate to the new modern Economic City. As everything needed for smoother and safer businesses are provided when the market takes-off,” assured Ganduje.
Phase 1 of the market is billed to take-off from December this year, 2019, according to the Field Engineer of the gigantic project at Dangwauro town Engineer Afolabi Muhiyiddeen.
