(Kano)
Kano state government has released operational guidelines for the controlled easing of the pandemic-induced restriction.
This is with a view of fine tuning the recently extended lockdown of Kano state by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 for another two weeks,
The Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, who made the revelation in a statement, said government was fully aware of the difficult but necessary hardship people had to pass through which informed the need for controlled enforcement.
He said after series of meetings with key health experts, the Ulama and other stake holders, the state government adopted some measures that would further bring relief to the populace, with the partial lift on the lockdown on three days.
The days concerned area: Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 10:00a.m and 2:00p.m with a total relief of 12 hours per week as earlier recommended by the Presidential Task Force.
Malam Garba said Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje had directed the state Hisbah Board to hold meeting with Imams and deploy its personnel to Friday (Jumu’at mosques) across the state.
The of the move, he added, was to ensure that worshipers comply with personal hygiene through maintaining social distancing, hand washing with soap, use of hand sanitizers and face masks.
The commissioner also said that government considered it convenient to allow the conduct of Eid Prayers on the Sallah day in all the five Emirates in the state during which restriction of movement had been lifted from 6:00a.m to 2:00p.m under strict observance of safety and prevention protocols.
He, however, said that there would be no Sallah festivities in all the Emirates, including the visit to Gidan Shettima, Hawan Daushe, Hawan Nassarawa, and Hawan Dorayi in Kano and all other similar traditional Sallah celebrations in the four other Emirates.
The commissioner announced the formation of a committee on the distribution of face masks and sanitation materials to Jumu’at mosques, to be chaired by the Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Kabir Ibrahim Getso.
Other members of the committee are: the Commissioners for Local Government, Religious Affairs and that of information.
Other members are:Prof. Ibrahim Mu’azzam Maibushra, Prof. Muhammad Tabi’u, Dr. Awwalu Kawu, Engr. Sa’idu Muhammad, Sarkin Yarabawa, Oba Abdullahi Salihu Olowo and Dr. Bala Muhammad.
Also included in the committee are: state ALGON chairman, Managing Directors of REMASAB and KAROTA, Commander-General, Hisbah Board and the Chairman, Sheikh Shehi Maihula.
Garba said the ethnic nationalities in the state would also constitute a similar committee to ensure the distribution of sanitation materials and the observance of Covid-19 protocol in their various churches.
