By Abdulmumin Murtala, Kano

Kano state government has reviewed the two weeks extension of total lockdown imposed by the Presidential Taskforce on the state as a means of curbing the spread of COVID-19, giving a 4-hour window for residents on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 am to 2 pm.

This was revealed by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba on Tuesday. He said, “government is fully aware of the difficult but necessary hardship people have to pass through which informed the need for controlled enforcement.”

He said, “after series of meetings with key health experts, the Ulama and other stakeholders, the state government adopted some measures that will further bring relief to the populace, with the partial lift on the lockdown on three days, that is, Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 10:00 are and 2:00 pm with total relief of 12 hours per week as earlier recommended by the Presidential Task Force.”

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On the enforcement of the prevention protocols of COVID-19 at the Mosques in Kano, who have been allowed to congregate on Friday and on the Eid day, Garba said “Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has directed the state Hisbah Board to hold a meeting with Imams and deploy its personnel to Friday (Jumu’at mosques) across the state to ensure that worshipers comply with personal hygiene through maintaining social distancing, handwashing with soap, use of hand sanitizers and facemasks.

“The government considers 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 has been lifted from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm under strict observance of safety and prevention protocols.”

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He, however, reiterated that there will 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 statement further 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.

The ethnic nationalities in the state will also constitute a similar committee to ensure the distribution of sanitation materials and the observance of Covid-19 protocol in their various churches.

Vanguard