Kano COVID-19 Palliative Committee And Ganduje Daughter’s Influence

By Comrade Alhassan Haruna Dambatta

My phone call to the newly formed Kano public complaint and anti-corruption Commission’s taskforce committee chairman, set up to handle complaints that may arise from the activities of the Convid-19 palliative committee headed by Prof. Yahuza Bello, the Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, was born out of the collective resolutions we arrived at aimed at calling the attention of the Commission to some observed shortcomings that may challenge the aims and objectives of both the Kano COVID-19 palliative committee activities and that of the Kano public complaints and anti-corruption taskforce committee.

Whilst various complaints have already been recorded, especially on the palliative committee narrowed act of distributing the generated contributions made by various concerned individuals, which involves money and food items to only political party members who are believed to be loyal to the ruling party in the state, the influence of Amina Ganduje the daughter of the state governor on the other hand who is a member of the committee have equally raised serious concerns even among the Kano COVID-19 palliative committee members.

The palliative committee has already drawn up a plan to distribute these funds and food items to four houses in each ward within the state which has not gone down well with many of the indigenes of the state because of the perception that the activities of the committee are being politicized aimed at rewarding members of the ruling party in the state.

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Many have observed and believed that the Kano COVID-19 committee chairman’s announcement on the radio to take that direction is not proper and might have been influenced by the state governor through his daughter Who is a member of the said committee.

After various concerns were raised by the indigenes especially on the Kano public complaints and anti-corruption Commission’s rebuttal of the said complaints without proper investigation have cemented people’s belief that justice to the distribution of these palliatives may not be forthcoming and these palliatives may end up being stolen or mismanaged.

People in Kano are already aware of the governor’s daughter influence in the committee which were said to be of disrespect and snubbing of the committee members collective decisions on how these items should be distributed.

Equally, many people believes that the governor involves his daughter in the said committee activities out of his concern that the committee members may not be giving him the true updates on what is being generated and how the items are being distributed.

Whilst on the phone with the newly set Kano public complaint and anti-corruption committee taskforce chairman, Barrister Mahmud Balarabe who happens to be a Director Anti-corruption in the Commission, I raised various objections and submitted a protest that centred on the Commission’s efforts to hold brief and protect the Kano COVID-19 palliative committee interest it is meant to investigate on issues that may arise from the palliative committee activities.

It is out of this concern that Kungiyar Matasan kano on behalf of Kano youths summons the courage to call the attention of both the state governor and the Kano public complaint and anti-corruption taskforce committee to the need to be transparent in both the palliative committee’s activities and that of the state government.

It will remain unacceptable to the people of Kano especially we the youths if such initiative is dented with a political colouration, misgivings and misdemeanour that are detrimental to the required transparency expected from both the two committee’s activities and the state government. Of equal importance is to call the attention of the state governor to as a matter of fairness to remove his daughter as a member of the said palliative committee which has already generated serious brouhaha from the citizens of the state.

It is also expected that the Kano public complaint and anti-corruption Commission headed by Muhiyi Magaji Rimin Gado will abandon its support for the said palliative committee because what is expected of the setup taskforce under the Commission is its total monitoring of the palliative committee activities and rigorous investigation of any complaints that may arise from shadowy activities of the palliative committee.

We believe one cannot protect the interest of those it is meant to investigate, hence the need to further call the attention of the Commission’s taskforce chairman, Barr. Mahmoud Balarabe to refuse anything that may influence his activity and may end up destroying the honour and integrity of the Commission.

Comrade Alhassan Haruna Dambatta, Chairman Board of Trustees, Kungiyar Matasan kano.