Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje has announced a 12-hour break on Mondays and Thursdays to allow residents stock-up food items and other essential commodities.
The Governor who noted that markets would be opened between 10 am to 4 pm on the said days warned that attendants of the markets would strictly observe the COVID-19 protocols including the compulsory use of face-mask.
The relaxation of the lockdown imposed by President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday night was despite the alarming spread of the of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) infections in the State.
Of the 238 new cases recorded on Friday, Kano had 92, followed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) 36 and Lagos, 30.
He stated these at a press briefing organised by Kano State Government Task Force on COVID-19 on Saturday that is was an effort to ameliorate the hardship of citizens.
The Governor however, stated that the list of some designated neighbourhood supermarkets which will be opened to the people will soon be released.
Alhaji Ganduje warned traders to desist from hiking the prices of their commodities because of COVID-19, adding that the state government has commissioned anti-corruption agencies who will monitor, arrest and prosecute traders who hike the prices of their goods.
According to him, any trader who is seen cheating customers by increasing the prices of goods will have his shop locked down, even as he faces prosecution.
Ganduje said: “From the reports we have seen, no doubt that there is a mass increase of COVID-19 cases in Kano. This is an issue that people should be conscious of so that we can take the protocols very seriously.”
He added that with the help of President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Test Centre at AKTH has become operational but “we are still taking samples to Abuja because of the low capacity of the NCDC Test Centre.
“The richest man in Africa, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has promised to bring a Mobile Test Centre which has the capacity of testing 400 people per day.”
