Social and Management Scientists converged in Kano for a conference to discuss on how COVID-19 pandemic affected business and economic activities in the country, with a view to proffer solutions.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference, holding at Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano (YUMSUK), has the theme: “The Role of Social and Management Science Researches in Post COVID-19 Recovery”.
Declaring open the conference on Wednesday, Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, said that people should note that the pandemic was not yet over.
He therefore stressed the need for the public to continue to adhere to the guidelines offered by experts.
The governor said his administration would continue to take measures to contain the spread of the pandemic, with a view to save people’s lives.
Ganduje, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Usman Alhaji, further urged people to ensure that they were vaccinated against the disease.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Mukhtar Atiku-Kurawa, said that universities play a leading role in conducting research to proffer solutions to societal problems like the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said that the institution was established in 2012, now has 33 academic programmes, all accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Atiku-Kurawa added that NUC has recently approved 42 Post Graduate programmes for the institution.
The Provost, College of Health Sciences (YUMSUK), Prof. Mohammed Kabir, who was the keynote speaker, said that COVID-19 was beyond medical and health problem.
“The result we are facing today is a critical situation affecting every facet of human society.
“In every country, COVID-19 has affected businesses, industrial production and travels, among others, which resulted in job losses, increase cost of living and poverty,” he said.
The lead paper presenter, Prof. Mustapha Mukhtar, of the Department of Environmental Economics, Bayero University, Kano (BUK), urged government at all levels to intensify efforts in job creation for the citizens.
He urged the government to continue to promote manufacturing and local production industries to bridge the gap created by the pandemic.(NAN)
