The rivalry between Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria and the National Association of Pharmaceutical Technologists and Pharmacy Technicians has, again, come to the fore, following allegations of issuance of licenses to unqualified members by the latter.

The Chairman of the Cross River State Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, Mr. Ajah Ibiang, on Tuesday in Calabar, accused NAPTON of issuing licenses to unqualified persons to dispense drugs.

He, therefore, urged the state and federal governments to sanction any member of NAPTON who issues licenses to unqualified persons to dispense drugs to members of the public.

Ibiang said if sharp practices were not checked among NAPTON members, it could portend great dangers to the health of unsuspecting members of the public.

“What is going on in Cross River State is really unfortunate and dangerous. Some persons are using the name of NAPTON to engage in criminal activities, invariably endangering the health of the people.

“I call on the Federal and Cross River State governments, including law enforcement agencies, to rise to the occasion and protect the health of our people” Ajah said.

He said some leaders of the association were in the habit of hiding under the ruling of a federal high court in Lagos which had given judgment in favour of NAPTON in a case instituted against it by the PCN.

“It emanated as a result of a circular issued by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria with regard to employment and promotion of pharmacy technicians in government departments. It is a dispute over a particular circular and nothing more.

“It did not cover people who are not pharmacy technicians. It did not also cover opening a drug outlet and selling drugs to the public. It will not cover anyone issuing licenses or certificate to non-pharmacists to encourage them to sell drugs to the public,” he stated.

Reacting to the allegation, the Deputy National President of NAPTON, Dr. Lawrence Henshaw, said the law establishing the association also empowered it to issue licenses to people to run drug outlets.

“The law establishing PCN does not give them jurisdiction over other practitioners except pharmacists. They are also prohibited to interfere with the activities of NAPTON,” he said.

While insisting that his association was authorised to issue licenses for the opening of drug outlets, he said, “Also, the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, in 2007 declared our association winner of the case and issued a court injunction restraining PCN from interfering with our duties and responsibilities in a suit (FHC/455/2007).”