Headlines
COVID-19: Eid prayers to hold in Kano as ‘Hawan Sallah’ is canceled
Mukhtar Yahya Usman
The Kano state government has agreed to allow Eid-el-Fitr prayers to hold across the state after reaching an agreement with Islamic scholars and Imams on safety measures against COVID-19 to be observed during the ritual.
This was announced by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who held a meeting with Islamic clerics at the Government House, Kano on Monday.
“Government also considers it convenient to allow the conduct of Eid prayers in all five emirates in the state under strict observance of safety and prevention protocols,” Mr Ganduje said.
Ban on Friday prayers also lifted
Mr Ganduje also said Friday prayers, which have been banned in the state for weeks, would now be performed with the supervision of the Kano Hisbah board, which would ensure that worshippers comply with safety measures.
He explained that movement would be eased three times in a week–on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, adding that the free hours are from 10:00am to 6:00pm.
“In this regard, we have briefed the Hisbah board to hold meeting with Imams and also deploy its personnel to Friday mosques across the state to ensure that worshippers comply with personal hygiene through maintaining of social distancing, hand washing and use of sanitizers,” he said.
‘Hawan Sallah’ canceled
Mr Ganduje however said all festivities including the traditional ‘Hawan Sallah’ (Sallah durbar) have been canceled across all five emirates in the state.
“However, there will be no Sallah festivals in all emirates including the traditional Hawan Sallah,” the governor said.
“While government of Kano state will also continue to work toward ensuring that together we stand to fight the deadly (coronavirus) disease,” he added.
PTF slams fresh 2 weeks lockdown in Kano
Meanwhile, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has declared a fresh 2-week lockdown in the state, after the initial lockdown announced by President Muhammadu Buhari on April 27, 2020 expired last week.
Chairman of the PTF, Boss Mustapha said the renewed restriction of movement would allow the government to further check the spread of the coronavirus disease.
“Advisedly, the current phase of eased restriction will be maintained for another two weeks during which stricter enforcement and persuasion measures will be pursued,” he said during the daily media briefing on COVID-19 in Abuja.
According to Mr Mustapha, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved recommendations including the following:
“Maintain the existing lockdown order in Kano for an additional two weeks;
“Imposition of precision lockdown in states, or in metropolitan/high-burden LGAs, that are reporting a rapidly increasing number of cases, when the need arises.
“This would be complemented with the provision of palliatives and continued re-evaluation of the impact of the interventions; and Aggressive scale up of efforts to ensure that communities are informed, engaged and participating in the response with enhanced public awareness in high risk states.”
Nasiru Yusuf
Kano state government said the administration of former Governor Rabi’u Kwankwaso left a liability of N54, 408, 259, 638.05 billion for the five kilometre road projects across the 44 local government areas of the state.
Kano Focus reports that the state commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba dropped the hint on Sunday while addressing newsmen on the outcome of the state Executive Council Meeting held at the Africa House, Government House, Kano.
He said the council received the report of the Technical Committee to assess the 5 km road projects all of which were awarded by the previous administration under the defunct Ministry of Land and Physical Planning with the state Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA) as supervising agency.
Mr Garba said the committee visited 39 local governments where its detailed report indicated awarded contract sum for the projects, present site conditions, value of executed works, amount certified and amount released for the projects.
The commissioner pointed out that 5km projects in three local governments were revoked and rewarded due to non-performance in Warawa, Ungogo and Dawakin Tofa, while some portions of the projects in Tsanyawa and Bichi along Kano-Katsina road were released to the federal ministry of works and housing based on request from the federal government.
He said other three projects in Rimin Gado, Karaye and Bunkure local government that fall within main arterial highway were expunged from the main project and re-awarded separately for execution, while metropolitan local governments of Dala, Nassarawa, Gwale, Municipal and Tarauni were allotted various projects within the municipality as 5km projects.
Mr Garba pointed out that the council has approved the release of N607, 124, 663.47 million for the rehabilitation of Rimin Gado-Sabon Fegi-Jilli-Gulu road in Rimin Gado local government.
The commissioner stated that approval has also been given by the council for the conversion of the existing School of Post Basic Midwifery Gezawa to the status of School of Nursing Gezawa to broaden the platform for training of more qualified midwives in order to reduce maternal and infant morbidity and mortality in the state.
Nasiru Yusuf
Kano state governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has approved the domestication of National social protection policy in the state.
Kano Focus reports that the Social Protection Policy is designed to show the commitment of the Government to the effective mobilisation and efficient utilisation of state resources to improve the quality of life of its citizens.
The state Commissioner of planning and budget Nura Muhammad Dankadai revealed this on Friday at a one day interactive session with with journalists and civil society organizations.
Alhaji Nura Muhammad Dankadai
Mr Dankadai said governor Ganduje approved the domestication of the policy on Thursday.
According to him when domesticated the policy will provide legal framework for school feeding programme, ante natal and post natal care, addressing gender based violence and protecting people living with disabilities.
On the meeting with journalists, Mr Dankadai said it was aimed at intimating them with on the state government’s projects and received some inputs for possible submission to the government.
The commissioner uses the opportunity to appeal to civil society organizations and journalists to sensitise people on the current economic challenges which made it difficult for the state to pay workers salary for the month of March.
In their separate contributions Akibu Hamisu, I. G Maryam and Wali Ado Rano advised Kano state government on the need to address multiple taxation, grant local government financial autonomy and holding periodic interactive session with CSOs and journalists.
Nasiru Yusuf
The management of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital has visited the Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communication Commission Umar Garba Danbatta.
Kano Focus reports that during the visit the AKTH team also presented an award to Danbatta as an expression of the hospital’s appreciation for the enormous contributions of the EVC and the Commission to the development of health institutions over the years in the country.
Speaking during the visit, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of AKTH, Abdulrahman Sheshe, who led the delegation on the courtesy call, said, “the objective of our being here today is to appreciate your contribution in person and as EVC of NCC to the growth and development of the teaching hospital.”
According to Sheshe, through the support and donations from Kano people like the EVC and institutions like NCC, the hospital has increased its bed capacity from 250 to 700, as well as performing 57 successful transplant surgeries.
“You have also made enormous contributions in this regard and that has helped us to get new dialysis machines through your assistance and these machines are being put to use, aside from other state-of-the-art equipment already in place,” he said while appreciating the EVC.
The CMD, however, sought NCC’s support in the area of a Health Information Management System (HIMS) and digital capacity for staff.
Responding, however, Danbatta thanked the hospital management for the visit and the award, noting that the Commission supports federal institutions with necessary ICT equipment across the country and is ready to assist AKTH in this regard.
Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta
“As a Commission, we are working to bridge the infrastructure divide, which is an element of the entire digital ecosystem. We do this via a lot of ongoing regulatory initiatives. And, through our training arm, Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), we provide digital literacy to critical sectors of the economy, including the health sector, we also intervene through our Advanced Digital Appreciation Programme,” he said.
According to Danbatta, digital divide can be bridged by making computers available and ICT services accessible to people and key sectors of the economy.
Danbatta (middle) flanked by top management committee of AKTH and NCC staff during the courtesy visit
“Infrastructure that can host this massive flow of information and knowledge is broadband infrastructure and this is top-most in the agenda of the Commission. Indeed, ICT is transforming every sector of the economy and the earlier we embrace the vast opportunity brought by ICT the better,” the EVC pointed out.
Kwankwaso left over N50bn liability for LGs 5km projects – Kano Govt
Kano domesticate social protection policy
‘Yan sanda a Kano sun kama makocin da ya jagoranci yiwa makocinsa fashi
Gwamnatin Kano ta bada umarnin rufe gidajen Abinci da na Biredi
Meet unsung court registrar, Ustaz Sunusi Khalifa
Gwamnatin Kano ta bada umarnin rufe gidajen Abinci da na Biredi
‘Yan sanda a Kano sun kama makocin da ya jagoranci yiwa makocinsa fashi
Meet unsung court registrar, Ustaz Sunusi Khalifa
Ramadan: ‘Yan kasuwa a Kano sunce ba za a samu hauhawar kayan masarufi ba
