Desmond Mgboh, Kano
As a way of fine tuning the recently extended lockdown of Kano State by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 for another two weeks, the state government has released operational guidelines for the controlled easing of the pandemic-induced restriction.
Commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba, in a statement, yesterday, said after series of meetings with key health experts, the Ulama and other stakeholders, the state government adopted some measures that would bring relief to the people. He said there would be partial lift on the lockdown on three days – Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 10.00am and 2.00pm with a total relief of 12 hours per week as earlier recommended by the Presidential Task Force.
Garba said Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has directed the state Hisbah Board to hold meetings with Imams and deploy its personnel to Friday Jumu’at services in mosques across the state to ensure that worshipers comply with personal hygiene,maintain social distancing, hand washing with soap, use of hand sanitizers and face masks.
The commissioner also said that government considered it convenient to allow the conduct of Eid prayers on the Sallah day in all five Emirates during which restriction of movement would be lifted from 6.00am to 2.00pm under strict observance of COVID-19 safety and prevention protocols.
He said that there would be no Sallah festivities in all emirates including the visit to Gidan Shettima, Hawan Daushe, Hawan Nassarawa, and Hawan Dorayi and that all other similar traditional Sallah celebrations have been banned in the state.