Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has called on his counterparts in the north to avoid ‘making noise’ about COVID-19 positive Almajiri kids and rather give them necessary care.
The governor who was speaking at a media briefing on Sunday said the fact that he is not making noise doesn’t mean all Almajiri brought back to Kano from other northern states are healthy.
“We agreed at the Northern Governors Forum that all Almajiris moved to their states of origin. That is why we are sending, in good faith and procedures, all Almajiris that are not from Kano state to their respective states of origin.
“The way we are sending back Almajiris to their states of origin, we are also receiving Almajiris from other states who are Kano indigenes. But the fact that we are not making noise about it does not mean they are all healthy without COVID-19 infections. But we are not making politics out of it because we all believe that what they need most now, is not noise making or publicity. What they need at this critical point in time is caregiving,” he said.
The Kano State Governor has sent hundreds of Almajirai back to their states of origin with many of them testing positive for COVID-19 when they were tested upon their return to their respective states.
The move had attracted criticism but Ganduje defended the state’s action, saying it was mutually agreed by northern governors.
“People should also understand that these children were not infected in the process of transporting them to their respective states. So noise making is not fit as a way forward.
“All we are doing is simply to comply with the Northern Governors’ Forum decision that all Almajiris in our states should be taken back to their respective states, simple,” Ganduje said.
Kano State government had earlier commenced the evacuation of Almajiri children to their respective states of origin most of whom have now been tested positive for COVID-19.
Governor Ganduje at the briefing stressed that he also received Almajiris from other northern states some of who tested positive but he decided not to make noise about it.
