By Dare Akogun
The Governor of Kwara state Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has forwarded the State Local Government Electoral Amendment Bill 2023 to the House of Assembly for consideration and passage.
This is contained in a message from the Governor addressed to the Speaker, Rt. Hon Yakubu Danlad-Salihu and read at the plenary today.
Governor Abdulrazaq explained that the Bill is seeking to amend the principal law in 6 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 29 and 105. When amended, it will bring the principal law in line with the Electoral Act 2023, and pave the way to conduct the Local Government Election.
The Amendment Bill was accorded swift consideration and read first time by the Clerk of the House, Alhaji Abdul-kareem Olayiwola Ahmed.
Speaker of the house Hon. Yakubu Danlad-Salihu therefore referred the Executive Bill to the House Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative actions.
In other news, the Assembly has called for drastic actions to checkmate activities of Patent Medicine Stores in Kwara State to ensure compliance with global standards.
This was a sequel to the Motion on Notice titled ” Need to Checkmate Activities of Patent Medicine Stores in the State to Ensure Compliance to Rules Guiding their Operations” raised by Chairman, House Committee on Health and Environment, Hon. Owolabi Razaq during today’s sitting.
Hon. Razaq representing Share-Oke Constituency recalled that no fewer than 250 Patent Medicine Stores were sealed within Ilorin Metropolis by a regulatory body owing to the selling of certain categories of drugs to the general public last year in contravention of the provision of the law of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Stores in Nigeria.
Some Lawmakers in their contributions, cautioned the populace against patronage of uncertified health workers particularly patent medicine store operators to forestall medical complications and charged the Ministry of Health to collaborate with the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria to arrest the situation.
Reading the resolutions of the House, Hon. Yakubu Danlad-Salihu advised the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, Kwara State Chapter to collaborate with relevant government health agencies to reduce quackery to its lowest ebb.
The speaker also encouraged the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria to be alive to their responsibility of ensuring proper and regular monitoring and supervision of Patent Medicine Stores towards bringing the culprits to book.
