Pfizer is a New York-based pharmaceutical company and it's the world's largest drug maker. In April 1996, Pfizer conducted an illegal Trovan clinical trial at the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) Kano, during an outbreak of meningitis.
The conduct of the drug experiment involving mainly children is said to have led to some deaths, blindness, paralysis and brain damage. Initially, Pfizer claimed that the illness was caused by the meningitis. After a series of failed efforts to make Pfizer own up by accepting responsibility of the problem, the Kano State Government led by Malam (Dr) Ibrahim Shekarau took the bull by the horns to ensure that justice was not only done, but done satisfactorily. Thus, at the end of the day, light came through the dark tunnel as Pfizer finally agreed to pay the sum of $75m compensation.
The break down of the Pfizer compensation is as follows: Pfizer victims ($35m), Kano State Government ($30m) and the legal team ($10m). It should be recalled that the victims' association took the BoT on the victims' compensation to Federal High Court, Abuja, and secured an interim injunction, restraining the BoT from releasing the result of DNA test conducted on the victims by Pfizer as part of the condition set by Pfizer for the payment of compensation to each victim. It is also very clear that the government has no influence or control over the court process, and that the BoT on the compensation of victims has distinguished jurists: Alfa Belgore and Bashir Abubakar Wali, highly respected Supreme Court Judges as members. In a nutshell, where contrary but clearly established facts are provided against the victims' claims, it means that the delay in the payment of the victim's compensation of $35m was caused by their representatives who had gone to court to stop the disbursement of the money and not a deliberate action of the Kano State Government as some politically-induced persons would like to portray.
To any discerning mind, there is no way a government that has pulled out its machinery to ensure that those who were wronged in the Pfizer matter are compensated could turn round to frustrate it; that would amount to cutting one's nose to smash one's face, especially when the hard part of the negotiations has already been completed by the government as a fair mediator. In this case, why anyone should think that a government that has so much concern for the Pfizer victims and has done so much in the struggle of the Pfizer matter could be accused of delaying the victims' right to their compensation, knowing full well that justice delayed is justice denied.
Incidentally, it was reported in the SUNDAY TRUST in May last year that during the sixth anniversary of Malam Shekarau's administration, the governor raised an alarm in an interview that "A group of unpatriotic persons" were planning to scuttle his government's effort in the settlement of Pfizer victims. If not because of some elements of avaricious greed on the side of whoever had gone to court to stop the disbursement of the Pfizer victims' share of compensation, the issue would have been settled long time ago. The painful truth is that as the court matter lasted, the victims continued to suffer. Instead of those who went to court to frustrate the disbursement to blame themselves and withdraw the matter from court or expedite quick dispensation of justice in the interest of Pfizer victims, they allowed their personal interest to take precedence over the genuine beneficiaries of the compensation. Ironically, the same group of people who had gone to court to delay the Pfizer victims' compensation want to cash on public ignorance through deliberate award of penalty at the goal post of the government, knowing full well that there was no foul play from the government side. This, perhaps, accounted for the various accusations now being championed by certain politically-induced fifth columnists to drag the Kano State Government led by Malam Shekarau in the mud.
If the issue is not dispensed off in the court, how does someone want the state government led by Malam Shekarau to authorise the payment of compensation that has gone beyond its power? First, the government did not go to court to stop the disbursement and secondly, as mediator in the whole Pfizer saga, the government could not have unilaterally gone to court to withdraw the court case, to which it is not privy. The simple solution would have been for those who went to court to stop the disbursement for whatever reason to withdraw the matter from the court in order to completely avoid the delay that they have been shouting about. This, I believe, is better than anyone to play politics in a matter that requires urgent attention and sympathy.
Above all, we must give kudos to Malam Shekarau for his spirited efforts to see that justice is done in the Pfizer issue that culminated in the final settlement of the case and securing a N3.8bn hospital for Kano. No matter how the fifth columnists would like to address the issue, the fact is that Shekarau's government has really left an indelible mark in the sands of time. And with the truth now before us, it is hoped that the representatives of the Pfizer victims will now do the needful to avoid further delay on the disbursement of the compensation to the real Pfizer victims. They know the right thing to do and they must not shy away from it in place of shadow-chasing and conniving with kleptomaniac reporters to deceive the unsuspecting public. Enough is enough.
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