COVID-19: Ganduje Accuses Some Journalists Of Spreading Fake News, Requests FG Funding

Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has accused some Journalists of originating and spreading fake news on COVID-19 in the state.

The governor made the allegation when he received Director-General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu on Monday at the Kano Government House alleging that the Media Professionals spread fake news for political reasons.

This was contained in a statement issued by Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Abba Anwar and forwarded to Solacebase.

In the statement he explained that to deal with the situation, the government came up with Kano State Infectious Diseases Regulation 2020 to take care of such, vowing to sanction offenders.

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He said the new law, that was signed on 15th April 2020, has many provisions to assist in responding to the global pandemic, “…starting from relating with suspected cases to other areas in dealing with the disease.

‘’As a matter of strong ties among stakeholders, governor Ganduje said “We need interface, rapid response and we need good coordination. As the third state in the category after Lagos state and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, as the most affected states, we need funds to respond well to this deadly COVID-19 pandemic.”

Explaining further that, “Lagos being the second populous state in the country and Abuja being the federal Capital, there is no surprise that the numbers are rising up. So also when Kano becomes the third in this category. Is just like what is happening in other global cities. Due to the metropolitan nature of the settlement.”

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According to him, peculiar situations require peculiar regulations and processes. “We are doing as much as we can to tame the situation. That is why, those suspected cases that are less privileged, we take them to the hotel after taking their samples, to keep them there.

For those whose samples are positive, we take them to Isolation Centres. And for those that are negative, we leave them to go to their residences. Our administration is very serious about this.”

In a remark, Dr Ihekweazu said as part of his assessment tour to the state is to see and assess the state response to the pandemic. During the visit, he was at some Isolation Centres to see for himself the level of the state preparedness.

He added that “We are supporting you with all our commitment. It is good to let you, Your Excellency, that, we have a collective responsibility to do our very best to make sure that Kano is supported to move forward.”

After thanking governor Ganduje for the good leadership he provides in the state response, the NCDC Boss hinted further that, Kano team is so viable, responsive and effective.

“For us to succeed at the national level, in this response, states also need to succeed. We will sit down tomorrow before we leave for Abuja, with the state and make a Plan on how to forge ahead,” he discloses.