Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has announced a 12- hour free period per week during the presidential lockdown order in the state occasioned by the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.
The Governor explained all the major markets will remain closed except some selected supermarkets.
Ganduje added that only Yankaba Market where perishable items are sold, and Yan Lemo Market, where fruits are sold, would be allowed to operate for 12hours on Mondays and Thursdays 10am to 4pm.
Ganduje however warned that attendants of the markets would strictly observe the COVID-19 protocols, emphasising that the use of face-mask will be absolutely necessary in the markets.
He also warned traders to desist from hiking the prices of their commodities because of COVID-19, revealing the State Government has drafted anti-corruption agencies to monitor, arrest and prosecute traders who do.
Ganduje further stated that, “from the reports we have seen, no doubt that there is mass increase of COVID-19 cases in Kano. This is an issue that people should be conscious of so that we can take the protocols very seriously.”
He added that with the help of President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Test Centre at AKTH has become operational, “although we are still taking samples to Abuja because of the low capacity of the NCDC Test Centre.”
According to Ganduje: ” the richest man in Africa, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has promised to bring a Mobile Test Centre which has the capacity of testing 400 people per day,” adding that with time, the Mobile testing will increase to testing up to 1000 people per day.
Ganduje also hinted that the Bayero University Kano (BUK) Test Centre will soon be operational.
He regretted ” the set backs we have witnessed for some weeks now without Test Centre contributed to the high level of cases that Kano has recorded.
Ganduje, who said that the state has increased the number of isolation centres to accommodate more patients, urged residents to strictly obey the lockdown order for their own good.
He also advised people to abide by personal hygiene and observe social distancing, pointing out that, “we are happy that people are accepting the fact that COVID-19 is a reality.”