Kano to evacuate 251,000 Almajiris as number of COVID-19 victims rises
Kano to evacuate 251,000 Almajiris as number of COVID-19 victims rises
By Abdulmumin Murtala & Femi Bolaji
Kano State government has completedplans to evacuate 251,893 Almajiris from the eight local government areas that make up the metropolis back to their states, following upsurge in confirmed cases of COVID-19, which currently stands at 37.
This came on a day Taraba State government expressed fears over the continuous inter-state trade between traders in the state and suppliers in Kano, despite the restriction on movement in the state. Taraba currently has no reported case of COVID-19.
Kano State Commissioner for Local Governments Affairs, Murtala Sule Garo, who disclosed this at the presentation of report by the various COVID-19 committees set up in the state to tackle the pandemic, said “of the identified numbers of Almajiris, 79,411 are indigenes of the state while 178,472 are non-indigenes.
He said from the metropolitan local government areas, 1,452 Almajiris were ready to be taken to their various states of origin.
In his remarks, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje said the presence of Almajiris in the state was posing serious threat, especially on the issue of social distancing.
According to him, 2000 Almajiris have so far been taken to their respective states.
“We have finished all the necessary arrangements to take away those Almajiris back to their states and those who are Kano indigenes will be taken to their new Almajiris centre and any parent or guardian who resists the move will be prosecuted accordingly,’’ the governor said.
He also explained the steps taken by the government to curb the spread of the virus in the state, saying: “We have taken three major steps to fight the pandemic, which include proactive, preventive and, indeed, Isolation.”
Ganduje added that by locking down Kano State, activities had stopped to pave way for health personnel to find out those who have contracted the virus through the usual tests to get them isolated.
Taraba expresses fear over continuous inter-state trade with Kano
Meanwhile, Taraba State government has expressed fears that inter-state trade between the people of the state and Kano State might spread COVID-19 to the state, lamenting that the restriction of movement put in place to check spread of the virus was not working.
The state Commissioner for Health and Chairman of the committee on COVID-19, Dr Innocent Vakkai, also expressed displeasure with the enforcement of the governor’s directive on restriction of movement by security agencies.
He said: “In the entire North, Kano has the highest number of recorded COVID-19 cases and we are worried because traders here are still going to Kano to bring in goods.
“We know there is inter-state restriction on movement but we wonder how these people still manage to go to Kano and come back.?
Source: Vanguard News
