COVID-19: Kano releases new guideline on lockdown

Kano State government has released operational guidelines for the controlled easing of the pandemicinduced restriction, following the extension of the lockdown imposed by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) in the state by another two weeks. The government says under the new guideline, the lockdown is now to be partially lift between the hours of 10am to 2pm on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays, as a way of bringing relief to the residents. Mohammed Garba, Kano commissioner for information, who made the disclosure, said the measure was to bring a relief of 12 hours per week to the residents, as recommended by the Presidential Task Force. “Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has directed the state Hisbah Board to hold 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, hand washing with soap, use of hand sanitizers and face masks. “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 6:00am to 2:00pm under strict observance of safety and prevention protocols,” the commissioner stated. He, however, explained 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. Garba added that a Committee under the commissioner for environment had been formed by the government to distribute face masks and sanitation materials to Jumu’at mosques. Other members of the committee are: Commissioners for local government, religious affairs and that of information; Ibrahim Mu’azzam Maibushra, Muhammad Tabi’u, Awwalu Kawu, Sa’idu Muhammad, Sarkin Yarabawa, Oba Abdullahi Salihu Olowo, Bala Muhammad, state ALGON chairman, managing directors of REMASAB and KAROTA, commander general, Hisbah Board and its chairman, Sheikh Shehi Maihula.