Ganduje blasts critics, defends easing of COVID-19 lockdown in Kano

Kano State governor, Mr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has replied his critics, describing them as Abuja- based critics, who make a lot of noise but add no value to the fight against the spread of COVID 19 in the state.

“I know some critics would say that we are relaxing the lockdown, but these critics are people who are in Abuja; they don’t know the complexity of our mega-city, they don’t know the needs of our people,” said the governor.

“Therefore, they make noises and think that they are making any useful contribution towards the eradication of coronavirus in the state,” he continued.

Speaking at the official flag- off of the distribution of facemasks on Monday, Ganduje regretted that many of his critics were conversant with the challenges poised by COVID 19 both at the scene and across the Nigerian landscape, but would prefer to point fingers at hims? and his administration as the reason for the spread.

He insisted that his government was doing everything necessary and relevant in tackling the problem even as he tasked his critics to make use of the knowledge of the virus to influence the people in the state to adhere to the laid down protocol for fighting the scourge.

Of recent the governor ha been criticized in the media by people like Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, some Kano elders led by Alhaji Bashir Tofa as well as by Professor Usman Yusuf over his handling of the disease in the state.

Meanwhile, Governor Ganduje has flagged off the free distribution of one million facemasks and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to the eight metropolitan areas as part of efforts aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

He said the measure was also in line with his government’s plan to make the use of facemask compulsory in public places, adding that the state was sponsoring the production of one million facemasks while the 44 local government chairmen would also sponsor the production of another one million facemasks.

He envisaged that the facemasks would be distributed on a house-to- house basis in various communities in the state while explaining that the distribution would begin with the eight metropolitan local government areas of the state, under the supervision of commissioners, special advisers and other political office holders in the areas.

THE SUN