President Buhari's First Media Chat.December 30 2015

One day before the new year President Muhammadu Buhari is finally hosting
his first media chat at the Aso Rock presidential villa in Abuja today,
December 30.

The president has very often been blamed for disclosing his biggest moves to
foreign rather than Nigerian media. Now the things have changed. Read how
it happened, minute by minute:
21.00 The first media chat has finished. Thanks for being with us.

20.59 “Please ask your colleagues to do more investigative journalism, so
the people know the truth,” Buhari, in his last words, addressed journalists.

20.58 The president speaks on Biafra issue: “Why does it have to worry me,
when I have militants of all kinds, Boko Haram and etc.
“The question is, who marginalised them (Biafra agitators)?”

20.57 “You want people who stole N50 billion to be granted bail to go to
London when we have 2 million IDPs in camps?” – President Buhari
continues.

20.56 Buhari’s answer: “DSS disobeyed court orders, people got legitimate
bails from courts, and they are still being held. It’s due to atrocities they
committed. They go against the country, and you expect them to jump
bail? The one we are calling ‘Kanu’ he has two passports, he brought
equipment. Do you know Kanu brought in sophisticated weapon into the
country, there’s treasonable felony case against him.”

20.55 “Are you not worried about Kanu?” the journalist asked the president.

20.51 President Buhari answering questions from Kayode Akintemi, Ibanga
Isine, Ngozi and Mannir Dan Ali.

20.50 “The standard of tertiary institutions is really poor, I don’t want
students sitting on windows to take lectures,” Buhari answers the question
on tertiary institutions from Twitter.

20.49 One more round of questions from journalists (the panel) is expected.

20.47  Buhari continues: “We will look into the students already in school to
be able to use their Master Card Debit/Credit cards abroad.”

20.45 “We may have to send the young unemployed youth seeking N5k fee
to farm to earn the money,” the president suggests.

20.44 On N5,000 monthly, Buhari says: “When my people have been quoted,
how can I come here and say otherwise?”

20.43 The president further answers on minimum wage: “I cannot answer the
question of 18 thousand minimum wage, now and the federal government will
not touch that. The federal government will not touch minimum wage.”

20.40 “The Judiciary is a seating dock we need the police and other arms to
take cases to them its unfair to blame the judiciary,” Buhari added.

20.39 “Those making the allegations would have to prove it,” the president
says.

20.37 Nigerians ask what Buhari’s government will do with corrupt judges.

20.36 “We are not depending on debt, we are renegotiating with those who
agreed to build infrastructure for us. Nigeria is not borrowing to fund the

2016 budget but renovating with creditors to build capital projects,” Buhari
answers.

20.34 The question is: “How would the president respond to criticism of
plans to borrow to fund a part of the 2016 budget?”

20.32 President Buhari answers first question from Twitter.

20.30 “I turned down a N400 million car proposal, the cars I have are good
enough for 10 years,” Buhari says.

20.29 “The question of parastatals earning money, spending it and giving
government the change will stop,” the president insists.

20.27 Nigerians are expected to send in their questions via twitter, using the
hashtag #askbuhari.

20.26 “Who checks the National Assembly? After hesitating… the president
says: “The judiciary.”

20.25 President Buhari speaks on 2016 budget. “I think I will use veto power
to stop the national assembly from using N47 billion to buy cars.”
He continues that he will review N3.6 billion for BMW cars scandal. “I turned
down a huge bill for vehicles, but I know we need some vehicles for foreign
visitors.”

20.23 “The policy on foreign currency withdrawal cannot be lifted because
the money is not there. A N100 billion goes to the National Assembly for
transport allowances alone,” the conversation continues.

20.19 “The change is in the TSA.”

20.18 The conversation moves to the questions on change – the slogan of
Buhari during the presidential campaign. The interviewer asks: “What has
changed?”

20.16 “We had 42 ministries, with 42 permanent secretaries. We had to cut
them to 24 and asked some to go,” he continues.

20.15 “Fashola was not made a super minister for nothing. The issues
associated with power which will take time, will be answered. He added that
government is looking at different means of generating power,” President
Buhari answers.

20.14 Question: What is the president’s understanding of job creation? And
what was he thinking when the decided to make Fashola the minister with
three portfolios. What was the president’s vision for him?

20.11 He continues: “Our priority is to get our local refineries working, to
reduce cost. The cost of petrol is so low, you don’t have to subsidize it.”

20.10 “By the end of next quarter, we might stop subsidy. I hope that our
refineries can be functional,” Buhari states.

20.09 “Our first priority now is to get our refineries working,” he says.

20.07 The president being asked: “Are you considering putting a stop to the
issue of subsidy?”

20.06 On the issue of people being unable to withdraw hard currencies, the
Nigerian leader says: “I will ask the governor of the Central Bank. Those who
want to import rice and toothpick should go somewhere else to get foreign
currency.”

20.04 “Our priority is for welders, barbers, building our roads and railways,
not rice and expensive textile wears,” the president says.

20.02 “But Mr.President would you support the devaluation?” The answer
from Buhari: “If you devalue the naira, against what? Against the dollar,
sterling, yen, dutch? I need to be convinced about devaluing the Naira. We
are importing including toothpick!”

19.59 “Insecurity, downturn of petroleum are very unfortunate incidents in
this country,” Buhari continues.

19.58 “There are 45 accounts in NNPC alone. We introduced the Treasury
Single Account so that we can know what comes in and goes out.”

19.57 “I don’t support devaluation,” the president says.

19.55 Buhari answers on naira devaluation issue. “Should we be looking at
devaluing naira?”
Buhari speaks to the panel of journalists.

19.53 The next portion of questions is on economy.

19.52 “When I say Boko Haram had been defeated technically, we have
weakened capacity for conventional attacks” – Buhari.

19.51 “People die, it’s very serious. Hijab will have to be banned if this
(female suicide bombings) continues,” the president says.

19.50 Question: Is banning hijab an option or not?

19.49 The interviewer asks about the Boko Haram deadline. “Can you say
whether the war has been ‘technically’ or otherwise won?”

19.48 Last question on security and the next subject comes.

19.47 Another question for Buhari: “Who would you be expecting the report
of the Shi’ites’ killings from?”

19.46 “The President of Iran spoke to me about it and I told him as a
government, we have a system. I am awaiting the report of the military,”
Buhari says.

19.45 “I don’t want to speak about it in detail now,” the president continues.

19.43 Both the president and interviewers avoid giving names: “When it
(clashes with Shiites in Zaria) happened in the state (Kaduna), the governor
(Nasir El-Rufai) was visiting the area,” Buhari.

19.41 The conversation moves to the confrontation between the army and
the Shi’ia sect, and its similarities with the start of the Boko Haram
insurgency.

19.38 The president says he has money to take care of the IDP’s and he
wants to settle the kids in schools/communities. His words: “We are
determined to resettle children transported across the country as a result of
insecurity.”

19.37 Buhari says the Boko Haram victims are orpharned and Dangote,
Danjuma have donated.

19.36 President Buhari speaks also on the IDPs. He stated that there are
about two million IDPs in the country, especially in Borno state.

19.35 “Do we have any intelligence that the girls are alive? No credible
information. Working with Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Boko Haram kept
shifting them around,” Buhari said.

19.34 Question: “Are you sure the girls are there and alive?”

19.32 The president continues: “Some supposed leadership wanted to make
contact, but we insisted on identifying the leadership of the so-called Boko
Haram.”

19.29 “I have answered questions on Chibok girls and we know so far from
our attack on Sambisa that the girls are not intact. We are more than willing
to negotiate to free the girls without compromising our national security,” he
responds.

19.28 The next question comes: “On Chibok girls and technical defeat of
Boko Haram, when are we bringing the girls back?”

19.27 “My ministers must make sure they declare their assets, that is a
constitutional requirement,” President Buhari says that any person would go
to court if he or she to be found guilty. “I am going to make sure that
nobody is above the law.”

19.26 Buhari seems to be a bit annoyed, or even angry.
Buhari hosts media chat from 19:00 to 21:00 on December 30, 2015.

19.25 “Nigerians to know progress of the anti-corruption war by end of 1st
quarter of 2016,” the president continues.

19.22 “When I was being harassed, I told people that I had declared my
assets four times. I mentioned which banks I borrowed money, the number of
cars and all they were all deposited at the ministry of justice. If they cannot
produce the documents that I declared, they should also answer questions on
documents of public officers,” the Nigerian leader says.

19.21 Question: “When do you intend to make full declaration of your
assets?”

19.19 Buhari answers: “I have said that I will defend every property of
Nigeria. We are appealing to countries to please cooperate with us.”

19.16 “How long are you willing to go in this fight against corruption?” the
journalist asks the next question.

19.15 “We have to be very sure of the documents we get. We have to cross
check records. I have confidence in the way EFCC and ICPC are structured
now,” Buhari added.

19.11 The next question is “What we have now is an iceberg, and I am just
wondering is there no way to rejig ICPC and EFCC?”

19.09 Buhari continues: “Money has been recovered but whatever has been
recovered, we have to remain in court.”

19.08 “Under whatever circumstances we cannot pre-judge what the court
would do,” President Buhari.

19.07 KayodeAkintemi: “Who are the people that the government claimed
have returned money and how much have they returned?”

19.06 “We are taking the people suspected of corruption to court. We cannot
comment. We want Nigerians to be patient,” the president says.

19.05 Buhari answered: “We are doing quite well. We have some documents
where Nigerian crude oil were lifted illegally and proceeds diverted into
personal accounts.”

19.04 “And the first question. Nigerians very love you. You are the man of
integrity. You were elected on the promise to fight corruption.The honeymoon
is over how do you think we are doing with the fight against corruption?”

19.02 Kayode Akintemi of Channels TV, the anchor of the chat, welcomed
President Buhari and introduced his colleagues.

19.00 All eyes on Mr. President, as the media chat begins.

18.45 Garba Shehu, the special adviser on media and publicity, says that
Nigerians can participate in the discussion on social media by using the
hashtag and also mentioning President @ MBuhari.

Compare Jonathan And Buhari.

LOPSIDED APPOINTMENTS? Compare Jonathan
And Buhari.
1,Secretary to Government of the Federation.
Buhari: Babachir David Lawal ------------ North.
Jonathan: Anyim Pius Anyim -------------
South.
.
2,SA on Media and Publicity.
Buhari: Femi Adesina ----------- South.
Jonathan: Reuben Abati --------- South.
.
3. SSA(Media and Publicity):
Buhari: Garba Shehu - --------------North.
Jonathan: Dr. Doyin Okupe -------- South.
.
4. Accountant General of the Federation.
Buhari: Ahmed Idris ----------------------
North.
Jonathan: Mr. Jonah Otunla ----------- South.
.
5. National Security Adviser:
Buhari: Babagana Monguno -------------- North.
Jonathan: Andrew Owoye Azazzi - --------south.
.
6. Chief of Defence Intelligence:
Buhari: Monday Riku Morgan --------- North.
Jonathan: Major General S.Y. Audu -------North.
.
7. Chief of Army Staff. Buhari: Tukur Buratai,
North.
Jonathan: Lt Gen Onyabor Azubuike Ihejirika,
south
.
8. Chief of Naval Staff:
Buhari: Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas ----------------
South.
Jonathan: Dele Joseph Ezeoba ------------
South.
.
9. Chief of Air Staff.
Buhari: Sadique Abubakar ------------- North.
Jonathan: Mohammed Dikko Umar-------- North.
.
10.
Chief of Defence Staff.
Buhari: Abayomi Olonishakin ----------- South.
Jonathan: Oluseyi Petinrin --------------South.
.
11. Director General, State Security Services, SSS:
Buhari: Lawal Daura ---------------- North.
Jonathan: Ita Ekpeyong ----------------- South.
.
12. Acting Chairperson, INEC.
Buhari: Amina Zakari - -----------North.
Jonathan: Itahiru Jega ---------- North.
.
13. Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority,
NPA.
Buhari: Habibu Abdulahi ---------- North.
Jonathan: Mr. Habibu Abdullahi ---------- North.
.
14. Special Adviser, Niger Delta Amnesty Office:
Buhari: Paul Boroh ----------------- South.
Jonathan: Kingsley Kuku ------------- South
.
15. NIMASA.
Buhari: Baba Haruna Jauro -------------- North.
Jonathan: Patrick Apobolokemi ------------
South.
16. Chief Executive Officer, NCC.
Buhari: Umaru Dambatta--------------- North.
Jonathan: Engr. Eugene Juwa ----------- South.
.
17. Executive Chairman, FIRS.
Buhari: Babatunde Fowler ------------ South.
Jonathan: Kabiru Mashi --------------- North.
.
18. DG, Budget Office of the Federation.
Buhari: Aliyu Gusau ---------------- North.
Jonathan: Dr. Bright Okogwu ------------ South.
.
19. Group Managing Director, NNPC.
Buhari: Emmanuel Kachikwu ----------- South.
Jonathan: Engr. Austen Oniwon ---------- North.
.
20.
ADC To The President.
Buhari: Lt. Col Abubakar Lawal ------- North.
Jonathan: Colonel Ojogbane Adegbe -------
North.
.
21. Chief of Staff to the President.
Buhari: Abba Kyari ----------------- North.
Jonathan: Mike Oghiadomhe --------- South.
.
22. Comptroller-General, Nigerian Customs
Service.
Buhari: Hameed Ibrahim Ali ------------- North.
Jonathan: Dikko Abdullahi --------------- North.
.
23. Comptroller-General, Nigerian Immigration
Service.
Buhari: Kure Martin Abeshi --------------- North.
Jonathan: Mrs Rose Uzoma ---------------
South.
.
24. SSA on National Assembly Matters (Senate).
Buhari: Ita Enang -------------------------
South.
Jonathan: Senator Joy Emordi ------------
South.
.
25. SSA on National Assembly Matters (House of
Reps).
Buhari: Suleiman Kawu---------------North.
Jonathan: Senator Joy Emordi --------------
South.
.
26. Director,DPR.
Buhari: Modecai Baba Ladan ---------- North.
Jonathan: Osten Olorunshola ----------- South.
.
27. Commissioner for Insurance and Chief
Executive of the National Insurance Commission.
Buhari: Mohammed Kari-------------- North.
Jonathan: Mr. Fola Daniel ------------------
North.
.
28. Managing Director, AMCON.
Buhhari: Ahmed Lawan Kuru ------------ North.
Jonathan: Mustafa Chike-Obi ---------------
South.
.
29. Executive Director, AMCON.
Buhari: Eberechukwu Uneze ------------ South.
Jonathan:
.
30. Group Executive Director, NNPC.
Buhari: Maikanti Baru ------------------ North.
Jonathan: Adebayo Ibirogba --------------
South.
.
31. Group Executive Director, NNPC,
Buhari: Isiaka Abdulrazaq --------------- North.
Jonathan: David Ige ----------------------
South.
.
32. Group Executive Director, NNPC:
Buhari: Dennis Nnamdi Ajulu --------------
South.
Jonathan: Aisha Abdurrahman -------------
North.
.
33. Group Executive Director, NNPC.
Buhari: Babatunde Victor Adeniran -----------
South.
Jonathan: Ian Udoh ----------------------
South.
.
34, Maritime Academy.
Buhari: Renewed the Appointment of Joshu Okpo
------------------------ South.
Jonathan: Joshua Okpo ------------- South

More Nigerian youths take to tramadol, codeine to get high

Drugs are sensitive substances that should not be toyed with under any circumstance. Doctors and pharmacists warn that any medicine in the hand of the wrong person is a potential poison. Unfortunately, that is usually the case in Nigeria. Anyone, including teenagers, can lay their hands on any medicine so far they know where to access it.

Investigations by our correspondent who went to pharmacies in Lagos and Ogun states, who also spoke to operators of retail pharmacies, revealed that more young boys now buy and indiscriminately use sedatives, analgesics and other prescriptions drugs as options for marijuana and other hard drugs.

A disturbing scenario played out during the course of this investigation.

While our correspondent was making enquires at a chemist in Ikeja last Tuesday morning, two teenage boys, who came on a commercial bike popularly called okada, charged into the drug store.

They seemed uneasy with the kind of attention their entrance had caused and signalled to the salesgirl to quickly attend to them as they were in a hurry.

One of the boys asked for 10 tablets of tramadol, a bottle of a popular brand of cough mixture with codeine and a sachet of water popularly known as pure water in Nigeria. His friend also asked for the same medication.

The timid girl obliged them and dispensed the drugs.

In the twinkling of an eye, they swallowed the drugs and topped it with the cough mixture and jumped on the okada they chartered to the chemist and rode off.

Tramadol , according to pharmacists, is a potent analgesic that works on the central nervous system by outing the brain to sleep.

According to the experts, tramadol is classified as an opiod-like analgesic that should not be sold over the counter to any individual without a prescription from a physician. Opiods are drugs that are used for their euphoric and analgesic effects to treat chronic pain.

Yet, it was sold by a chemist operator to the teenagers who swallowed them like candies.

From Lagos to Kano, it’s all the same

Although the law says for anybody to operate a retail drug store, he or she must have a degree in pharmacy, investigations conducted by our correspondent revealed that many drug outlets are daily violating this regulation. Consequently, people who should not have anything to do with drug sale are now into the business big time.

Drugs are sold like bread, biscuits, Kola nuts and any other articles of trade in Nigeria. Illiterate salesmen, unqualified pharmacists and nurses are all involved.

You find some of them at street corners in different parts of the country, in motor parks and even in stores doing their business unperturbed, particularly at night when members of the taskforce have closed for the day.

From Lagos to Kano, Aba to Onitsha, and Osogbo to Maiduguri, fake pharmacists do not only sell drugs, they also dispense such to young people who are looking to abuse them.

For instance, a middle-aged girl, who sold 50 and 100 milligrammes of tramadol to our correspondent at a drug store in Magboro, Ogun State on Monday, did not ask for a prescription before she sold it.

She neither took the details of her customer nor asked for why our correspondent wanted the drug.

Asked if there was a pharmacist on ground to recommend the dosage, the lady admonished our correspondent, saying, “We don’t have a pharmacist here. You should know how many you will need and how to take a drug before you buy it. Do you think it’s every pharmacy that is operated by a pharmacist?”

Earlier in the day, the first store that our correspondent visited in Arepo, a largely residential area in Ogun, did not have a pharmacist on ground even though the emblem in front of the drug store had ‘Pharmacist -on- duty’ boldly written on it.

The woman manning the store assured our correspondent that she could be of assistance to her in spite of the experts’ absence.

Our correspondent, who asked for tramadol or any drug with codeine, was told that the outlet had exhausted its stock and wondered why many people had asked for the same drugs lately.

She said, “You are the second person to ask for tramadol today. I am going to tell our Oga to be buying more. I sold two cartons of a cough syrup with codeine last month and that does not happen regularly.”

Abuse linked to growing incidence of rape, armed robbery

However, our correspondent had a different encounter with Mr. Olumide Adesanya, the pharmacist-on-duty at another retail outlet in the same area.

The first thing he asked for when the journalist wanted to buy tramadol was a prescription note. He also wanted to know why she wanted it.

Adesanya told our correspondent that a 19-year-old- boy and his friends came wanting to buy a carton of a cough mixture at the pharmacy last month.

“I was shocked when he made this request because I wonder what a 19-year-old would want to do with 40 bottles of a cough syrup. Just because it has codeine? I sent them out of my store. Even though codeine in cough syrup can be sold over the counter, I refused to sell it.

“Tramadol is meant to be sold with a prescription from a doctor. That is why I ask every customer for it and also ask for their age. I also must know what you need it for because people just walk in to ask for drugs they don’t need.

He explained that tramadol has been used to sedate rape victims and rob innocent Nigerians in recent times.

Adesanya said, “Tramadol is an analgesic that works on the central nervous system. It puts the brain to sleep so that its ingredients can relieve pain. It is actually meant to be a pain-relieving medication but rapists put it in drinks to put their victims to sleep.

“Codeine has some ingredients that ease the nerves which make people feel good. So, young people who can’t access hard drugs will buy four bottles and drink it like alcohol when they want to get high. Many have taken it and gone into a coma.

“A colleague of mine was killed in Niger State because he refused to sell codeine to a group of boys after they had made several attempts to buy at his store.”

A robbery incident that occurred last month in the Sapati area of Ilorin in Kwara State may have confirmed Adesanya’s position.

ADVERTISEMENT

According to the Kwara State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ajayi Okesanmi, the police had arrested a group of cultists after they had put tramadol inside a soft drink to rob a young lady in the area.

According to Okesanmi, bandits usually offer drug-laden drinks to their victims to put them to sleep while they dispossess the victim of his or her valuables.

He noted that this was the new devious strategy that cultists had devised to not only rob but also rape their victims.

He warned the public to be cautious of such evil schemes and avoid taking drinks from unknown people as such might have been poisoned with analgesics.

Some inject themselves with the drugs – Psychiatrist

Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr. Peter Ogunnubi, told our correspondent that more persons now had mental issues due to drug abuse.

Ogunnubi said, “Tramadol and codeine are not the only drug that young people use indiscriminately. They also take diazepam, pentazocine, amadol and some strong anagelsics anyhow. Even though NAFDAC has tried by insisting that only codeine-free cough syrups should be sold in the market, they are still there. We still have other drugs that have codeine that are being sold indiscriminately in the market. It is going to be difficult to mop up these medicines in open drug markets because they are in high demand.”

He noted that many of the young persons administered these drugs on themselves, using injections, thereby exposing themselves to hepatitis infections, HIV/AIDS infections, skin ulcers and other deadly infections.

“ Many of them use needles to administer the drugs on one another,” he stressed.

Tramadol

Ogunnubi stated that people who abused these substances also suffered from drug addiction which would not only affect them psychologically but also affect their productivity and relationships with their loved ones.

He said, “ It is an addictive problem that will tell on every aspect of their lives. Because they get unusual satisfaction from these drugs, they neglect every other thing. They will forgo their studies, families and even abscond from school because they will no longer be able to concentrate. Let’s not forget that they are young. So, they don’t have much money on them. Hence, they are ready to do anything – including stealing to get N350 to buy tramadol or diasoprene to get high.

“Imagine a young boy who could have been a renowned scientist lying in a mental institution because his friends got him hooked on codeine.”

The psychiatrist and medical director, Grace Cottage Clinic, a private mental health hospital in Ikorodu, also noted that those who abused the substances were more prone to violence and other criminal activities, including armed robbery.

Ogunnubi stated,“ They don’t only administer these drugs to sedate their victims, they also use them to boost their self confidence to do terrible things. The substances change their personalities. They don’t see anything wrong in beating their loved ones or strangers.”

He appealed to parents and guardians, including school authorities, to watch out for any unusual behaviour in their wards. According to him, any change in attitude that tends to the negative should not be dismissed.

“ I will appeal to the parents to talk with their children. School authorities should also discuss any change in a child’s behaviour to the parents. Many of them use these drugs to cope with many forms of challenges they face at home or in school.

“Any child with such a problem should be taken to a doctor for psychoanalysis and rehabilitation.”

Shut down open drug markets – Pharmacist

The National Chairman, Lagos State Chapter of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, Biola Paul-Ozieh , also raised the alarm over increasing demand for tramadol and codeine among teenagers.

She lamented that teenagers had been caught concocting large quantities of tramadol to be used as sedatives and aphrodisiacs.

According to Paul-Ozieh, reports from her colleagues operating retail pharmacies in various parts of the country show that there has been an unusual demand for these two drugs from young people in recent times.

She said, “More young people are now abusing drugs that they have no business with and it’s alarming from the reports we are getting from our colleagues. The worst is the abuse of tramadol which is supposed to be a prescription drug. They come in to ask for it and when you question them about it, they go to the ‘abokis’ – mallams – and chemists in the neighbourhood to buy it.

“We see it a lot in the communities where we practise – teenagers asking for anything with codeine to get high.”

The pharmacists identified the open drug market system in the country as a major factor that has allowed such illegal activities to thrive.

Adesanya said, “The sale and regulation of over-the-counter and prescriptions drugs will not work until government shuts down the open drug markets.

“Many of these young people just go to the Idumota drug market where they sell drugs in any quantity to anyone without asking any question.

“ Many operators of these wholesale and retail drug stores are not even literate. They just want to make profit so they have no standards because they are not even trained pharmacists. They know that these young people want to abuse these drugs, yet they sell them or why else will you sell four bottles of codeine to a young man?

“The government must wake up and address issues relating to the sale, distribution and circulation of drugs in Nigeria. They must ask themselves what the qualification of those stocking and dispensing drugs is in this country. The trend is alarming. That is why regulatory agencies must help vulnerable Nigerians.”

 Culled from Punch.

BUKOLA ADEBAYO

Copyright PUNCH.

President Buhari to set up special courts for looters

President Buhari to set up special courts for looters

According to a report by Punch, the Federal Government might be establishing special courts to try people who have stolen from the country. Buhari may even have started plans to submit a bill on the special anti-corruption courts to the National Assembly. Sources in the know told the newspaper that the government is currently looking for fearless judges that would prosecute these corrupt individuals.

All the states of the federation will have these special courts so FG is looking for 36 incorruptible judges. A source told Punch that Buhari decided to set up the planned special courts because of the long delay by regular courts in deciding corruption-related cases.

 

 

 

Coutesy:LIB

FG to Shut Open Drug Market: Effective July 1

In order to ensure organised drug distribution system in the country, the federal government will on July 1 commence the implementation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDGs).

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, Linus Awute stated this at a press conference on Friday in Abuja adding that regulatory agencies like the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) and NAFDAC will on that date resume the exercise of their mandate to ensure full compliance.

He said “We are hopeful that the existence of open drug markets in the country will be a thing of the past as the drug distribution system of the country has remained uncoordinated, chaotic and has resulted in the circulation of fake, adulterated, substandard and counterfeit drugs. According to Awute, this chaotic drug distribution posed a very big challenge to the pharmaceutical sector in particular and the federal government in general, considering the negative impact the situation had on the entire healthcare delivery system of the country.

LEADERSHIP recalls that in order to address the ugly situation, the federal government established the Presidential Committee on Pharmaceutical Sector Reform and charged it among others to develop a strategy towards the institutionalisation of a well ordered drug distribution system. The strategies adopted by the committee to achieve this include the development of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines in 2010 to provide guidance for drug distribution.

Mr Awute said “The launch of the document in 2012 signalled the take-off of its implementation while the deadline was for the establishment of State Drug Distribution Centres (SDDCs) by the state governments and Mega Drug Distribution Centres (MDDSs) by the private sector was declared on 30th June, 2014. “The deadline was, however, extended to 30th June, 2015 to allow more time for the establishment of more SDDCs and MDDCs.” He explained that as the new deadline date has drown near, it was imperative to remind stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector and Nigerians so they would commence the full implementation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines.

He said that state governments were allowed to upgrade their medical stores to the level of SDDCs, adding that states like Jigawa, Niger, and Ekiti had already commenced the implementation of the guidelines while Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Anambra SDDCs were ready for take-off. He added that other developed MDDs structures included the Arsene Laboratory, World Wide Ventures and the Onitsha Mega Drug Distribution Centre waiting commissioning, even as the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria was supporting the establishment of ultra-logistics company with ongoing structures of the MDDCs in the six geopolitical zones of the country. (Leadership)










Culled from Ndibe blog.

BUHARI'S WIND OF CHANGE AND THE OPEN DRUG MARKET.

The politics of open drug market and our governments inability to implement the planned closure of the open drug market.

Since 2011 the federal ministry of health and other sister agencies and stakeholders have continued to work on modalities for the ultimate closure of the open drug markets all over the country. The discussion about the middle role and bulk breaking duties of the open drug market has been pitched a number of times and debated extensively. finally the decision has been made to close the open drug market but so far the challenge is timing. When and by whom. Who has the balls to take the bull by the horn. A three year weaning period was decided on to allow the traders find alternative sources of income as well as allow the government time to put the infrastructures in the form of state central pharmacy depots in place. The government has failed in financially backing this huge project as it built a few complexes beside dominant markets. These are grossly inadequate. The Jonathan Administration postponed the closure yet again from 2014 to 2015. This was a political decision not to upset the Igbos who have major stakes in the open drug market nationwide and major supporters of GEJ. However the dangers of open drug market cannot be overstated. In open drug market drugs can become toxic or lose its potency either way harming the patient.
Nigeria is glad to have a man known for his strict leadership style in the name of GMB. It is the wish of Nigerian and Medical professionals that come July 2015 the open drug market would be closed to drug sale. All eyes would be on Buhari to see how humane enough he executes this first onerous task as both the traders and patients are Nigerians who only need to be educated on the value of safety in ensuring our survival and economic development. To those who have qualms about closing the open drug market I say the sooner the healthier.

CARDIOVASCULAR PRODUCTS AND SALES PERFORMANCE IN LOCAL COMMUNITY PHARMACY SHOPS IN NIGERIA

Anti hypertensives Sales Performance in Community Pharmacy by brands

Case Study of Xteraplus Px.
A. Antihypertensives listed according to performance in the pharmacy over a two months period
    1.Teva lisinopril x 28 N 400.00 (Teva)
    2.Teva Amlodipine x 28 N 400.00 (Teva)
    3.Methyldopa x 10 N 200.00 (Hovid)
    4.Normoretic x 10 N 150.00 ( Neimeth)
    5.Gravasc 5mg x 30  N 300.00 (Grams)
    6.Ranopril 10mg x 30 N 800.00
    7.Norvasc 5mg x 30  N 3,000.00 (pfizer)
    8. Zestril 5mg x 28  N1,450 (AstraZ)
    9.Tenoric- 50 x 28 N 650.00 ( Ipca)
   10.Ramizid 5mg x 30 N 750.00 (Sandoz)

The assessment was based on patients direct request for these brands. Pharmacist input has also been subtracted. This will give manufacturers a picture of their market position from the local pharmacy perspective.

Pharm. TK.

HOW TO SPLIT A COUNTRY

Nigeria as we know it will cease to function after february 14 2014 (14/02/2014)  presidential election. What a ridiculous date for this charade of election.