Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has advised professional associations to dialogue with stakeholders and mobilise members’ support to stop alleged plans to balkanise the associations.
Omo-Agege gave the advice during a separate courtesy visits by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) led by Onome Joy Adewuyi and Sam Ohuabunwa, respectively.
Omo-Agege, who chairs Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on Constitution Review, advised members of professional bodies to resolve their disputes rather than rush to form new associations.
He said, “I do not believe in balkanisation or needless duplication of professional bodies and that is why I will never support a purported New NBA because I always believe that we have enough mechanisms for resolving differences or disputes rather than going to form rival bodies.”
On the Forensic and Investigative Professionals of Nigeria Bill 2020, the Deputy Senate President noted that other members of the National Assembly may have genuine reasons for supporting the bill but advised ICAN to take the issue before other stakeholders, including professional members of the Institute in the two chambers.
ICAN is objecting to the passage of the Forensic and Investigative Professionals of Nigeria Bill 2020, as the Institute stated that accountants are already engaged in forensic accounting.
The Delta Central lawmaker applauded the two organisations for identifying vibrantly with national aspirations, adding that more home-grown solutions can be developed by them for the benefit of citizens.
Congratulating Onome Joy Adewuyi on her election as National President of ICAN, Omo-Agege expressed the willingness of the National Assembly to support ICAN’s initiatives.
“I am an opponent of duplication or splitting of professional bodies,” he added.
Earlier, while receiving leaders of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) on behalf of the President of the Senate, Omo-Agege called for further research into COVID-19 and other vaccines.
Citing the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) payment system developed by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senator Omo-Agege said pharmacists and other professional associations can develop home-grown solutions to existing challenges.
“We will take a good look at the ‘Pharmacy Council Bill’ as you requested. You can count on us moving forward.
“We support your position about effective regulation of the sale of prescription drugs, especially when some people sell substandard products that can harm many citizens,” he said.
Earlier, Pharmacist Sam Ohuabunwa had called for the National Assembly’s intervention towards getting several ministries, departments and agencies of government to settle about N17 billion debt owed pharmaceutical companies across the country.
According to him, the huge debt burden had made it impossible for the local pharmaceutical companies to increase production capacities.
He also called for the passing of the Pharmacy Council Bill towards transforming pharmacy practice and curbing the national health security risk posed by indiscriminate importation of drugs.
He expressed concern that a ‘Bill for An Act to Establish the Pharmaceutical Technologists and Pharmacy Technicians Regulatory Council of Nigeria’, which is also before the National Assembly, will not only unsettle Nigeria’s health sector but also balkanise the PSN.
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