Coronavirus: Don't politicise repatriation of almajiri kids - Ganduje warns northern governors
- Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has slammed the alleged politicisation of almajiri kids repatriated to their home states amid Covid-19 spike
- The Kano governor stated that the almajiri kids need caregiving instead of undue publicity they are being given by his northern colleagues
- Ganduje's caution came days after Kaduna government said that 50 almajiri urchins repatriated from Kano accounted for the active Covid-19 cases in Kaduna
Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Kano state governor, has decried the treatment of almajiri children, saying the street urchins are being used for unnecessary publicity instead of them to be received with open arms.
Speaking at a media briefing on Sunday, May 10, Ganduje said the almajiri in Kano were returned back to their home states "in good faith" and in accordance to procedures of Northern Governors' Forum.
He, however, raised an eyebrow against "noises" being made by his northern colleagues, adding that Kano state does not make politics out the repatriation of the kid beggars as some neighbouring state governments do.
“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," Ganduje remarked.
Source: Depositphotos
“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.”
Governor Ganduje urged the people criticising the state over the number of almajiri kids who tested positive to Covid-19 to understand the process involved in the decision.
“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,” the governor further submitted.
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Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Governor Nasir El-Rufai disclosed that 50 of the almajiri children received from Kano accounted for the active Covid-19 cases in Kaduna state.
The Kaduna governor disclosed this on his verified Twitter handle.
“COVID-19 Update: The Kaduna State Ministry of Health, this evening (Saturday), confirmed receipt of 16 more positive results, 15 of them from almajiri. The state has now recorded 50 cases from repatriated almajiri. Active cases have risen to 59,” the governor said.
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Source: Legit.ng
