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Gov Ganduje Eases Lockdown In Kano Despite Spike In COVID-19 Cases

The Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, has announced the easing of the presidential lockdown order imposed on the state.

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje said at a press briefing on Saturday that the lockdown imposed by the federal government on Kano will be eased to allow for free movement of people within certain periods.

Ganduje said the decision to ease the lockdown was taken with the consent of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The President had, on April 27, imposed a two-week complete lockdown on Kano after COVID-19 cases in the states started to rise.

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Kano has the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country with 311, only behind Lagos.

“We sought for the consent of Mr President on how to relax the lockdown, to allow for some free movements of people, but within stipulated hours of the agreed days,” Ganduje said on Saturday.

The lockdown will allow for the movement of people on Mondays and Thursdays between the hours of 10 am to 4 pm.

The public is still expected to observe COVID-19 protocols such as social distancing.

Markets also must remain closed, with the exception of Yankaba market, where perishable items are sold and Yan Lemo market, where fruits are sold.

” . . . people must observe all protocols as given by our health professionals,” Ganduje said. “We should all know that there is no shortcut in the fight against COVID-19 all over the world. So we must always abide by all the protocols.”

At the press briefing, Ganduje announced that Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote is donating a mobile testing centre to the state reports Channels TV.

The centre has the capacity to test 400 people daily and is expected to arrive in Kano by Monday.

The Governor said the state was targeting more testing centres.

Rising cases in the state “is a thing of great concern,” Ganduje said. “Though we are aware that with the bouncing back of the Aminu Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital Testing Centre with the capacity of 88 samples per day, and the coming up of another Testing Centre at Bayero University, Kano, with the capacity of 20 samples per day, would mean another rise in the identified positive cases.”

He also addressed the increase in the price of essential commodities like sugar and salt.

“I had a meeting with Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Alhaji Abdussamad Isyaka Rabi’u,”‘ he said. “they all assured that they didn’t increase a kobo in the prices of their products. This means that any hike in the prices of sugar, salt and other commodities will not be tolerated by the state.

“It is as a result of this that I directed the State Anti-Corruption Commission to be very vigilant and monitor sells at points of sales of such commodities.

“Whoever is found increasing any price will have his or her products confiscated and whatever is confiscated will be put into our palliative programme to be distributed to the public free.”