Appeal Court affirms PCN’s regulatory roles

A statement from the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, yesterday said the appellate court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, recently dismissed an appeal by the National Association of Pharmaceutical Technologists and Pharmacy Technicians of Nigeria (NAPPTON) and three others seeking to be independent in regulation matters as it relates to its members. While dismissing the suit in favour of the council, the Court of Appeal, in a unanimous decision, upheld the contention of the respondents that PCN did not breach the fundamental human rights of members of the association, when it sealed shops in Calabar operated by members of the association, which were not duly registered. “This decision has finally put to rest the mischief employed by members of NAPPTON in claiming to have powers to register and issue licenses to its members to establish drug sales outlets,” the statement said. The statement said the association had in Suit No. CA/C/246/2014 approached the Court of Appeal to reverse the 2012 decision of the Federal High Court, Calabar, which recognized the PCN as the authentic body to register and regulate members of NAPPTON. However, the association had claimed that the judgment of Justice I. N. Auta of Federal High Court, Lagos in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/455/06 delivered on the 27th day of April, 2007 was sufficient ground to enable members of the association establish drug sales outlets without recourse to registration and licensure by the PCN. But Justice Phoebe M. Agua on 27th day of February, 2014 dismissed for lack of merit the argument of the association, a judgment which the plaintiffs approached the Court of Appeal to set aside.]]>