Patent medicine dealers embark on indefinite strike in Kano

Members of the Nigeria Association of Patent and Propriety Medicine Dealers (NAPPMD) on Saturday shut down operations and embarked on an indefinite strike at Sabon Gari market, in Kano.

The medicine dealers said their action is to show their anger and reaction over a court judgment that ordered them to relocate to the Coordinated Wholesale Centre at Dangwauro area of the state.

SOLACEBASE recalls that a Federal High Court in Kano on Friday ordered the Patent Medicine dealers to vacate the Malam Kato and Sabon Gari open market and relocate to the Coordinated Wholesale Centre in Dangwauro area of the state.

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The court subsequently dismissed the fundamental rights suit moved by the dealers seeking to reject relocation to the coordinated center instituted by the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria.

The judgment finally put to rest more than five years of battle between the medicine dealers who had resisted all attempts by concerned authorities to relocate the pharmaceutical business from the open market.

However, on Saturday, Kano State Chairman, Nigeria Association of Patent and Propriety Medicine Dealers, Alhaji Musbau Yahaya Khalid directed members of the association at Sabon Gari market in the state, to close shops.

Speaking to SOLACEBASE on the indefinite strike action, Alhaji Musbau Khalid said the action is a proactive measure to protect members of the association as they were informed that security agents would be used to displace them and probably destroy their goods.

‘’The strike is to protect our members from harassment as we were reliably informed that security agents would be used to displace us and also show our displeasure over the court judgment, ‘’Khalid said.

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He said they are in discussion with their lawyers as they intend to appeal the judgment.

The association chairman said it is not as if they do not want to relocate their business to Dangwauro area but rather the place does not belong to them nor the government as it is a private entity which poses a lot of danger to their business.

While emphasizing that they are law-abiding people, he appealed to the government to allow them to continue their business from where they operate presently as relocating to the assigned area would lead to loss of employment to many.