Vice President Kashim Shettima on Saturday explained the reasons why he directed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to immediately reopen Sahad Store, a supermarket owned by his friend, Ibrahim Mijinyawa, after it was shut down for violating pricing regulations.
The vice president spoke at the commissioning of Sahad Hospitals in Abuja.
Shettima was quoted in a report by Peoples Gazette to have said that “When the FCCPC locked up his store, I had to call the head of the agency to say, ‘Please, reopen the store before you come and tell me what happened. I did so because I know how helpful Sahad Stores is to many Nigerians.”
“He (Alhaji Mijinyawa) is a very good man. He has used his business to touch many lives. If he were a selfish man, he would have kept his money to himself, his children, and grandchildren alone because he has enough to take care of himself till he leaves this world.”
In February, the FCCPC shut down Sahad Stores when its investigations showed that the supermarket was violating the law on pricing amid soaring food prices.
“The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) conducted an on-the-spot check on Sahad Stores in Abuja on February 16, 2024, leading to the temporary closure of the store due to continued violations involving misleading pricing and lack of transparency,” the commission said in a press release.
It added, “Earlier, on January 8, 2024, the FCCPC investigated Sahad Stores following reports of misleading pricing practices. The investigation revealed that Sahad Stores displayed lower prices on shelves and charged higher prices at checkout, contravening Section 115 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.”
According to the FCCPC, a summons was issued to Sahad Stores’ staff to appear on February 12, 2024, to discuss corrective measures. The staff’s failure to attend without justification raised concerns about potential violations under section 33(3) of the FCCPA.
Meanwhile, the acting Executive Vice Chairman of FCCPC, Adamu Abdullahi, had said in a statement on February 17 that the reopening of the supermarket followed a mutual understanding and commitment from the store to implement transparent pricing practices.
Speaking further on Saturday during the commissioning and grand opening of Sahad Hospitals, the vice president said the private sector was a critical part of the solution to healthcare, especially in the face of the long standing brain drain among the country’s medical workforce.
Shettima, who described the launch of the hospital as a historic milestone, added that it would be a game changer in the country’s healthcare system.
He said, “We welcome this intervention, not just because it aligns with the agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who has demonstrated his commitment to unlocking Nigeria’s healthcare value chain, but also because investing in the health sector engages the talents and skills of our citizens.
“They are creating numerous job opportunities for graduates and technicians. This is a notable asset for national development.”
The vice president said this administration’s ambitious health sector reforms have already attracted over $4.8 billion in potential investments and signals a strong commitment to revitalizing the healthcare system.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr Tunji Alausa thanked the founder and chairman of Sahad Hospitals, Alhaji Ibrahim Mijinyawa for committing a significant part of his investment to the most important component of life, which is health.
He said, “The commissioning of this 200-bed state-of-the-art facility is a testament to the unwavering commitment of a private citizen like our dear brother, Alhaji Ibrahim Mijinyawa who has taken the bold step to complement the effort of the federal government in improving the quality of healthcare to citizens for Nigerians. It is a commitment that we recognise deeply, and we are very appreciative of this. Thank you Alhaji Ibrahim Mijinyawa.”
While saying that the government remained committed to providing the necessary infrastructure and policy framework to enhance healthcare delivery, the minister added that it could not achieve the goals alone and the private sector needs to complement it.
The Executive Vice Chairman of Sahad Hospitals, Dr Shamsuddeen Aliyu, said the hospital has 200 bed hospital capacity with seven operating theaters, 13 dialysis centres, and a 10-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
He said the hospital plans to open a medical university and nursing school in the future.
Dr Aliyu said the hospital’s healthcare service was designed to be both accessible and affordable for the average Nigerian, with 24 hours emergency services.
The Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman of the occasion , Senator Barau Jibrin who was represented by the senator representing Kebbi South, Senator Musa Maidoki urged the hospital to collaborate with non-governmental organisations so that displaced persons in the community around the hospital could also access its services.
The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Muhammad Abdullahi Hardawa said the hospital boasts of equipment and manpower that could help check medical tourism and the attainment of UHC in the country via its reduced cost of services.
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