The Abia State Government has granted approval in principle for the establishment of the Abia State Coordinated Drug Wholesale Centre in Umuimo, Osisioma Local Government Area.
The move is part of efforts by the Abia State Government to regulate the pharmaceutical market and guarantee access to safe and quality medicines.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade, Commerce and Industry, Chief Nwaka Inem, disclosed this at Government House Umuahia, during a meeting between government representatives, pharmaceutical union leaders, and the approved developer of the centre.
Chief Inem explained that the project, to be executed by KCH Aqua Investment Limited, aligns with the Federal Government’s directive to bring pharmacy business under strict regulation to checkmate unwholesome drugs.
“The essence of the meeting is simple. The KCH Aqua Pharmaceuticals applied to build a coordinated warehouse in line with the Federal Government’s directive that pharmacy or drug business should be strictly under control, given the fact that if no proper control is there, the risk is so large, which is fake drugs, loss of life, not to talk of loss of money”, Chief Inem said.
The Governor’s aide added that the meeting was to introduce the developer to pharmaceutical dealers, who would eventually move to the centre, in order to build their confidence in the project.
He disclosed that the groundbreaking ceremony for the centre would soon be performed by the State Government.
Earlier, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Abia Public-Private Partnership and Investment Promotion Office, Mr Chinedum Chijioke, while presenting the approval in principle to the developer, said the project would provide about 1,000 shops of varying sizes for pharmaceutical wholesalers and create about 3,000 jobs upon completion.
He further disclosed that the facility, which carries an 18-month delivery timeline, will also house modern infrastructure including banking halls, a fire station, parking lots, utilities, and security facilities, in addition to office spaces for NAFDAC, NDLEA, and the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria.
The developer, Chief Victor Amuta of KCH Aqua Investment Limited, said the initiative would place Abia among states such as Kano, Anambra, and Lagos, which already operate centralised drug markets.
