FCT: Court affirms Area Councils authority to handle sanitation, health inspection matters

The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court has confirmed the ineligible authorization of country councils to grip sanitation and wellness inspection matters.

The tribunal presided by Justice Y. Halilu made the declaration connected May 21, 2026 successful respect of the ex-parte Motion No. M/7935/2026 filed by the applicant, H-Medix Pharmacy Ltd, connected March 13, 2026.

The declaration quashed transgression proceedings initiated by the FCT Administration Health and Human Services Department against the applicant astatine assorted magistrate courts, pending the determination of the Motion connected Notice for judicial review.

The court, successful the ruling, besides restrained immoderate further enactment against the applicant based connected the Public Health Service Act 1958, National Environmental Health Practice Regulations 2024, National Policy connected Food Safety, and the National Guidelines for Food Handlers Medical Test 2024.

The applicant had successful the question argued that the FCTA lacked statutory competence to enforce the extant laws. It highlighted the lack of due jurisdictional facts, adding that policies cannot substitute for enforceable laws, the deficiency of a statutory interest docket and usurpation of law principles.

Reacting to the development, the Global Integrity Crusade Network said the ruling sends a beardown connection against arbitrary and duplicative deman...