An Appeal To Kano State Intellectuals, Captains Of Business And Leaders Of Thought

1. In the last one week, there appears to be no leadership in the fight against COVID 19 in the state. The state Task Force which has gone comatose since certain members tested positive for the virus has not been expanded or reconstituted by the Governors.
2. During the week there have been unconfirmed stories of a significant rise in the death rate in the city. These stories have fired the imagination of those who wish Kano to be the epicentre of the corona pandemic in Nigeria if not in Africa, hoping to find an essentialist explanation and narrative for this development. In the face of such widely spread “news” there is has been no effective response from the state government.
3. Today is exactly one week since the commencement of the lockdown in the state. There are widespread complaints of hunger and yet there is no comprehensive pronouncement by the State Governor as to what palliative plans the government has and how it intends to reach out to those to be targeted.
4. The business community needs to step up contributions that will going into upscaling testing centres, providing care and support and supplement government palliative plans
5. The Federal Government and its agencies such as the NCDC, need to the support of Kano State like it was done so Lagos State.
6. When last week the Governor announced a one-week order to lockdown the state, there has not been any direct communication between him and the citizens of the state and today at the expiration of the one week stay at home order, no one is sure as what to expect as of tomorrow.
7. This morning there was confusion at the only testing centre in the state and testing had to be suspended, no one is clear about what led to the confusion and the decision to suspend testing.
8. While Lagos State has been able to establish multiple testing centres in each of its 20 local government areas, Kano State with the largest population in the country is still not unable to manage its only testing centre
9. Meaning the figure of daily confirmed new cases are becoming alarming but these do not attract new measures and or consultation with different stakeholders by the State Government.
10. In view of these, we would like to appeal to all academics, intellectuals and leaders of though in Kano State to individually and collectively begin to think about how to respond to this crisis given that government seems either too slow or overwhelmed by the crisis. What can we offer by way suggestions, action and concrete engagement to help in addressing the crisis in the state?
11. We know we are in the state of lockdown but thanks, communication technology has provided us with tools to network, discuss and reach out to all to build solidarity to save our state.

The Time to Think and Act is Now

Convenors, Mobilising Academia, Business and Industry Community Against COVID 19 in Kano (MABICACK)

1. Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim, Senior Fellow, CDD
2. Y. Z. Ya’u, Director, CITAD
3. Dr. M. A. Aliyu, Bayero University, Kano
4. Dr. Aminu Hayatu, Bayero University, Kano
5. Alhaji Bashir Mohammed, Private Sector, Kano 

Interim contact: mabicack@citad.org