Kwankwaso sets up committee on Ebola virus

Kano state government has set up a committee to strategize on how to prevent the spread of Ebola virus to the state. The committee was set up following the death in Lagos, of a Liberian who was carrying the virus, last Tuesday, the first recorded Ebola case in the country.
The state governor, Rabi’u Kwankwaso hinted this while meeting with Kano Elders at Africa House, Government House, Kano on Saturday.
Since February this year, Ebola has resulted in the deaths of over 700 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. It symptoms include headache, high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding and central nervous system damage. It has no known cure or vaccine.
The government of Kano state is particularly concerned about this diseases and its spread, because the state is the most populous in Nigeria and is the country’s second largest commercial center with regular influx of traders from within the West African sub-region. The state is also home of one of Nigeria’s international airports, MAKIA.
Governor Kwankwaso stated that the committee is expected to present its report on Wednesday next week and urged citizens of the state to avoid risk of Ebola virus by paying more attention to sanitation and personal hygiene as well as reporting health problems to the nearest authority for immediate action.
He further stated that his administration has concluded plans to recruit additional medical doctors from aboard to widen access to health services adding that government is already providing facilities and medical consumables in health centers across the state.
He also said the government is designing new ways of tackling female suicide bombing recently recorded in the state, pointing out that the new tactics adopted by the insurgents has caused colossal loss of lives and property.
As a result, Kwankwaso said his government, Kano Emirate Council, security agencies and general public must put hands together to address the issue, pointing out that people should not hesitate to report any suspicious person and objects to the nearest security agents in their own interest.
The governor urged people in the state to ensure that their children acquire sound formal and religious education, pointing out that illiteracy is a major factor that results in insurgency and other negative activities in the society. He then thanked the people for devoting time to prayers asking God, the Almighty, to bring an end to the insurgency in the state.
The Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammad Sanusi II, lamented that the insecurity bedeviling the state and the nation could be tackled if the people are adequately enlightened and provided with jobs to sustain their lives.
Some of the contributors during the meeting advised the state government to revive local government Security Council meetings.