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From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The National Movement for the Actualisation of Good Governance (NAMAGG), has called on Nigerian Regulators to save Nigerian Patients, shareholders and employees of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Consumer PLC from the plans of GSK UK to unfairly shut down GSK Consumer PLC Manufacturing and Distribution operations in the country.
The group in a statement issued by its President, Douglas Ogbankwa Esq in Benin City, the Edo State capital, said it has observed with dismay, the unfair related party trade practices of GSK UK, which is aimed at shutting down GSK Consumer PLC local production of its drugs and vaccines in Nigeria.
“As was previously reported, GSK UK who are related trading partners of GSK Consumer PLC has deliberately refused to supply the Nigeria market its life-saving medicines- Asthma, Antibiotics and critical vaccines. This action has led to an attendant astronomical increase in the prices of the drugs and vaccines in a way that makes these critical medicines beyond the reach of the ordinary Nigerian.
“We are also aware that this action and the plan to shut down GSK Consumer PLC operations was rejected by some board members and has led to the resignation of one of the oldest board members on the GSK Consumer PLC Board – Mr Samuel Kuye. Mr Samuel Kuye is a chartered accountant and Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) who has served as an independent executive director on the GSK Consumer PLC board for 9 years, resigned due to the coercive plans of GSK UK. With Mr Kuye’s resignation and the appointment of 2 GSK UK employees as board members, GSK UK now has the majority of board members on the GSK Consumer PLC Board.
“The diversionary comment of GSK Communications Team that it is the paucity of forex that is responsible for the current GSK drug supply scarcity and price increases is utterly false. Forex Trading and Access has been liberalised in the present Administration, so they putting the blame on Forex is a hoax.
“We believe that the primary purpose of Government is the protection of lives and properties of Nigerians and we call on the Government to intervene and stop this anti-Nigeria agenda by GSK UK. Shutting down GSK Consumer Nigeria PLC which is the 2nd largest healthcare company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, goes against the local medicines production improvement plans of NAFDAC and the Bola Ahmed Tinubu plans for the Nigerian Economy. The time for the local regulators to act is now!,” the statement added.
