Press Statement on the Need to Provide More Personal Protective Equipment and Other Materials In Kano State Hospitals By The Centre for Information Technology And Development

May 9, 2020

The battle of covid19 has continues to stress and expose the lack of readiness and poor spending in the health sector all over the world. As of yesterday, the 8th of May, 2020, the total confirmed cases worldwide stands at 4,013,666 with 2,76,337 fatalities while Nigeria as of yesterday has a 3912 confirmed cases with 117 fatalities. Health personnel has everyday being exposed to the danger of being contracted with virus due to inadequacies of the protective materials in our hospitals all over the country. It has been reported by many national dailies in the country on how health personnel are absconding and abandoning patients for fear of becoming victims of the virus, this has led many to lose their loved ones due to lack of access to health facilities and medical attention.

In its efforts to draw the attention of Government and advice where necessary, the Centre for Information Technology and Development has looked at how health personnel are struggling with lack of materials to discharge their duty effectively in Kano state. This has resulted in a number of those in the frontline to contracted the virus. In Kano alone, more than 30 health workers have been reported by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Kano state branch to have contracted the virus in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and National Orthopedic Hospital Dala in the course of their duties. This has created fear in the minds of many.

Our investigation has revealed that few among the hospitals in the state are ready and supplied with necessary equipment. In the investigation we carried out only Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, National Orthopedic Hospital Dala, Murtala Muhammad Specialist, Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital and Sir Muhammad Sunusi Specialist have some of the covid19 protective materials and adhering to the preventive measures as advised by World Health Organization. Even in these hospitals, materials such as protective kits and oxygen therapy are grossly inadequate.

Though these materials are globally inadequate due to the high demands, but there is need for the state government to redouble its efforts in this fight. To ensure health personnel discharge their duty effectively and their own lives being protected we call on Kano state government to:

  1. Provide all the major hospitals in the state with adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs). This will give the health workers more courage in discharging their duties
  2. Train more health personnel and post them to all the major hospitals across the state. It will reduce the overcrowd of patients in the inner city
  3. All their remuneration should be paid on time and need to be psychologically encourage in order not lose hope
  4. Should quickly conclude negotiation with unions of health workers on enhanced hazards allowance to bring what they are paid to the same range as other states.
  5. Expand quickly the available spaces for isolation of COVID positive and patients. As of yesterday, the state has over 400 confirmed cases while total isolation facilities in the state is just about 270 bed spaces.

Ali Sabo

Campaigns and Communication Officer

 

Eleventh Twitter Chat on Capacity Building for CSOS To Better Response to Cocovid 19 pandemic with Hafsat Mustapha, a Senior Act British Council Civil Society Strengthening Program in Nigeria Held on 6th May 2020.

In continuation of its enlightening program amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the centre for information technology and development (CITAD) has today , the 6th of May,  2020 held its 11th twitter chat with a senior act British council civil society strenthning program in Nigeeria Mrs Hafsat Mustapha.

The twitter chat is part of the Centre for Information Technology and Development efforts in helping the fight against the deadly coronavirus virus in the country which is being held twice every week. In the twitter chat, CITAD uses to invite great personalities from different professions to come and interact with people in the hope of finding solutions to many problems associated with pandemic.

This week the chat focuses on the capacity building of CSOs for a better response to covid 19 Pandemic.

She started the chat by stating that “the Covid-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global emergency, at least in our time, therefore it is expected that institutions will be overwhelmed and under enormous pressure to deliver on protecting lives and delivering services.

Therefore protection of human rights will always be of extreme importance either in emergency or otherwise. CSOS will always have a role to play”

She further explain that ” In this situation, CSOs though may not have had a readiness and response plan in anticipation of the emergency have so far done extremely well to support government on the emergency”

In responding to a question about the capacity Civil Society Organizations need in order to help in the fight against Covid19?

Her response was “for  this situation, it is basically the capacity to raise funds and leverage on technology. We have been marginally innovative in that aspect but post covid, I expect that things will change and we have to re evaluate how we work”

Another question raised was  On  the issue of deportation of Almajaris by some state governors to their states of origins. Constitutionally this is wrong and by implications it helps in spreading the virus to many areas. My question is why do the CSOs’ voice not being heard enough?

Her replied was ” I belive that there are CSOs working on these issues. The challenge in this period is visibility for the work that we do because  there are multitude of issues being tackled everyday during this emergency. Also challenge for CSOs to leverage on technology to increase their voic.

During the interaction, the guest took her time to explain the role of civil Society in the fight against Covid19,the challenges face by CSOs and the role of government in supporting civil society to achieving the fight and the role of technology in fighting the pandemic , she also responded to questions asked by the participants.

Below are some of the questions and comments from the chat:

Good afternoon everyone.We want to thank you all for joining us in today’s chat.This is the 11th time @ICTAdvocates are holding Twitter chat with experts and professionals from different fields. It is an intervention to support the fight the #COVID19 pandemic in #Nigeria@YZYau

Today and at this time we are hosting Hafsat Mustapha (@haffymusty05), a social development  consultant leading strategic development interventions to  strengthen civil society ecosystem and social accountability.@YZYau@a_sabo12@Mairo_Ado@HariraWakili@nissimase @kamalkano

 

Mustafa Haffysa @haffymusty05 Replying to @ICTAdvocates@YZYau and 5 others Good afternoon and it is my pleasure to be here.Thank you for hosting me.

@ICTAdvocates Hafsat Mustapha (@haffymusty05), is also the Lead country evaluator of Open Government Partnership (OGP) in Nigeria/Senior Consultant on ACT-British Council Civil Society Strenghtening Program in Nigeria.You are welcome to the chat Ma, @YZYau@a_sabo12@ChiromaHope@HariraWakili

 

@haffymusty05 Replying to @ICTAdvocates @YZYauand 3 others Thank you very much. I hope my contributions will benefit the audience.

@ICTAdvocates Replying to @haffymusty05 @YZYau and 3 othersSure, we are glad you find the time to be here.

@haffymusty05 Replying to @ICTAdvocates @YZYau and 3 others The Covid-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global emergency, at least in our time, therefore it is expected that institutions will be overwhelmed and under enormous pressure to deliver on protecting lives and delivering services.

 

@ICTAdvocates Different actors are doing different things to make sure the #COVID19 pandemic in #Nigeria is addressed, specifically, what roles are the civil society organizations supposed to play in this time of National tragedy, @haffymusty05 ? @YZYau@a_sabo12@isahcitad@HariraWakili

 

@haffymusty05 Replying to @haffymusty05 @ICTAdvocates and 4 others In this situation, CSOs though may not have had a readiness and response plan in anticipation of the emergency have so far done extremely well to support government on the emergency.

 

@haffymusty05 Replying to @ICTAdvocates @YZYau and 3 others Advocacy especially on procurement of emergency relief materials, sensitization, awareness creation, debunking myths and community engagement on behaviour change. It is a long list

@haffymusty05 Replying to @haffymusty05 @ICTAdvocates and 4 others But what is important is that Civil society can better than anyone, relay messages in languages that communities will identify with, monitor perceptions, rumour and disinformation and also create channels to address  behaviour change issues.

 

@a_sabo12 Replying to @haffymusty05 @ICTAdvocates and 3 others Ma’m, the major issue at hand now is lack of transparency from the committees constituted by both states and FG on Covid19 especially with regard to the donations they receiving, how can CSOs ensure these committees are accountable and transparent in their activities?

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@ICTAdvocates

May 6

Different actors are doing different things to make sure the #COVID19 pandemic in #Nigeria is addressed, specifically, what roles are the civil society organizations supposed to play in this time of National tragedy,

@haffymusty05

?

@YZYau

 

@a_sabo12

 

@isahcitad

 

@HariraWakili

Mustafa Haffysa

@haffymusty05

May 6

Advocacy especially on procurement of emergency relief materials, sensitization, awareness creation, debunking myths and community engagement on behaviour change. It is a long list

Mustafa Haffysa

@haffymusty05

May 6

But what is important is that Civil society can better than anyone, relay messages in languages that communities will identify with, monitor perceptions, rumour and disinformation and also create channels to address  behaviour change issues.

@a_sabo12 Ma’m, the major issue at hand now is lack of transparency from the committees constituted by both states and FG on Covid19 especially with regard to the donations they receiving, how can CSOs ensure these committees are accountable and transparent in their activities.

@haffymusty05 Replying to @a_sabo12 @ICTAdvocates and 3 others Also we can’t as CSOs assume lack of transparency without evidence. That is why it is important to call on government to include CSOs in planning and decision making.

@haffymusty05 Replying to @a_sabo12 @ICTAdvocates and 3 others It is dicey, considering that there are restrictions placed through lockdown policies, but CSOs can continue to insist on government opening space for discussions using technology. That has been happening in some quarters, but more CSOs need to push for open information.

@joseph_ochogwu Replying to @haffymusty05 @ICTAdvocates and 4 others The missing link in the Covid19 interventions in Nigeria is the infrastructural deficits and the disconnect between the government and the citizens at all levels. Most CSOs are equally disconnected from the people they are to help.

 

@haffymusty05 Replying to @joseph_ochogwu @ICTAdvocates and 4 others Exactly, this emergency puts to question the legitimacy of Civil society, emerging from this emergency we should begin to question how we work, what the gaps are and how we can be more representative of our constituencies.

 

@joseph_ochogwu Replying to @haffymusty05 @ICTAdvocates and 4 others Precisely, the civil society must effectively feel the vacuum created by the state.

@ICTAdvocates Replying to @joseph_ochogwu @haffymusty05 and 4 others Which vacuum sir?

@joseph_ochogwu Replying to @ICTAdvocates @haffymusty05 and 4 others Vacuum of engaging with the people. Nigerian state is elitist and disconnected from the citizen except during elections. CSOs can ill afford to be elitist with the way most NGOs are currently.

@ICTAdvocates@a_sabo12 Replying to @ICTAdvocates @haffymusty05 and 5 others @haffymusty05 what capacity does the Civil Society Organizations need in order to help in the fight against Covid19?

@haffymusty05 Replying to @a_sabo12 @ICTAdvocates and 5 others For this situation, it is basically the capacity to raise funds and leverage on technology. We have been marginally innovative in that aspect but post covid, I expect that things will change and we have to re evaluate how we work.

@a_sabo12 @haffymusty05 let’s look at the issue of deportation of Almajaris by some state governors to their states of origins. Constitutionally this is wrong and by implications it helps in spreading the virus to many areas. My question is why do the CSOs’ voice not being heard enough?

@haffymusty05 Replying to @a_sabo12 @ICTAdvocates and 5 others Civil society will do no less than advocate as usual, but we have seen CS thinking outside the box, creating joint plans, leveraging on each other’s capacity, leveraging on technology etc.

 

@joseph_ochogwu Replying to @haffymusty05 @ICTAdvocates and 4 others Covid 19 present opportunity for CSOs to work directly with the people to change the disconnection in order to strike a transformative partnership between CSOs and the people.

@a_sabo12 Replying to @haffymusty05 @ICTAdvocates and 3 others @haffymusty05 do you think CSOs need to be co-opted in the PTF committee, if yes, what role do you think they are going to play in curtailing the situation?

 

@haffymusty05 Replying to @a_sabo12 @ICTAdvocates and 3 others For inclusion, Civil society should be the voice of the people on government’s decision making platforms. What is important for CS inclusion is to take quality issues to the table. They should also monitor government’s responses to the situation and take feedback to govt.

@AkintundeAkanni Replying to @a_sabo12@YZYau and 4 othersSure, all donors are private persons, so CSOs should have been co-opted to reassure us that what govt people have been doing with govt money will not happen this time. #UnitedAgainstCorruption @larryk371@ICTAdvocates@PremiumTimesng@SERAPNigeria@officialEFCC @ICPC_PE@TrackaNG

@a_sabo12 Replying to @haffymusty05@ICTAdvocates and 5 others@haffymusty05 let’s look at the issue of deportation of Almajaris by some state governors to their states of origins. Constitutionally this is wrong and by implications it helps in spreading the virus to many areas. My question is why do the CSOs’ voice not being heard enough?

@haffymusty05 Replying to @a_sabo12 @ICTAdvocates and 5 others I belive that there are CSOs working on these issues. The challenge in this period is visibility for the work that we do because  there are multitude of issues being tackled everyday during this emergency. Also challenge for CSOs to leverage on technology to increase their voice .

@a_sabo12 Replying to @haffymusty05 @ICTAdvocates and 5 others You have been talking about the use of technology at this critical time, how important can you say is technology in this fight?

@haffymusty05 Replying to @a_sabo12 @ICTAdvocates and 5 others Technology is the most important. We have been able to get things going only through technology, capacities are being built online, meeting held on various virtual platforms, government organizing and engaging citizen’s through such platforms, information sharing also done on.

 

@haffymusty05 Replying to @a_sabo12 @ICTAdvocates and 5 others…the platforms. So technology is the future of Civil society engagement. Post- covid, we must re evaluate how we intensify CSO capacity on use of technology to deliver their mandates.

@mukhtars_s Salam, @haffymusty05 There are significant corruption risks during times of crisis. Can u pls shed more light on the roles CSOs play in ensuring funds to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic reach their destination. @ICTAdvocates

@haffymusty05 Replying to @mukhtars_s and @ICTAdvocates Yes agreed. During pandemics there are risks of repression and increased corruption, CS needs to keep emphasising on open and inclusive governance.

@a_sabo12 Replying to @haffymusty05 @ICTAdvocates and @mukhtars_s @haffymusty05 what advice do you have for CS who are fully engaged on physical sensitization in communities most especially looking at how easily people contract or transmit the virus?

@haffymusty05 Replying to @a_sabo12 @ICTAdvocates and @mukhtars_s CSOs should observe all interpersonal safety regulations. Where necessary we should use alternative means of communicating our messages, radio, especially in some areas.

@ICTAdvocates Replying to @haffymusty05 @YZYau and 3 others Does this also involve community and faith-based organizations?

@haffymusty05 Replying to @ICTAdvocates @YZYau and 3 others Yes especially in a country like Nigeria. We may not have given enough attention to CBOs, in terms of building their capacity, but their closeness to and acceptability by communities can never be denied. It would be disastrous to not include them in this campaign.

@joseph_ochogwu More bridge building between NGOs and CBOs is important.

@mukhtars_s Thank.Hajiya @haffymusty05 Pls, what challenges do CSOs facing currently? @ICTAdvocates

@haffymusty05 Replying to @mukhtars_s and @ICTAdvocates We also know as a challenge that CSOs should as a matter of urgency learn how to mainstream inclusion of PWD and vulnerable persons in their plans and decisions. They are most affected by this situation. These are some of d capacity areas with challenge.

@haffymusty05 Replying to @mukhtars_s and @ICTAdvocates Capacity. The utmost being funding and their ability to utilise technology in such emergency situation. Emerging learning from what we know now, means we will have to develop readiness plans ahead of unforseen situations which means we have to move with time and think globally.

@mukhtars_s Replying to @haffymusty05 and @ICTAdvocates I`m really grateful

@ICTAdvocates We would like to at this juncture and on behalf our Executive Director, Engr. @YZYau immensely thank Hafsat Mustapha (@haffymusty05) for the very resourceful discussion, thank you once again and #staysafe. We are also grateful to you all for participating. See you next time.

@haffymusty05 Replying to @ICTAdvocates and @YZYau Thank you for having me and thanks to everyone who took the time to join. For further questions, those who wish to can @my handle.

@ICTAdvocates Replying to @haffymusty05 and @YZYau Thanks for the generosity @haffymusty05. Feel free to ask more questions should you have them, her handle is @haffymusty05, direct your questions to her.

 

 

COVID-19: 300 Vulnerable Households Benefit From Actionaid Nigeria, CITAD Palliatives Worth Over N2.7 Million

Some beneficiaries of the Actionaid Nigeria and CITAD COVID-19 palliatives smiling home with their packages at Tunga-Ashere community on Friday in Abuja. Photos by Smartgist24

Actionaid Nigeria and Centre for Information Technology and Development(CITAD), have donated items worth over N2.7 million to 300 households in four excluded communities in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory( FCT), as part of efforts to cushion the effects of hunger occasioned by the compulsory lockdown in Nigeria in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Community members assisting with the palliatives at Tungan-Ashere

The gesture, according to the Progamme Advisor of Actionaid Nigeria’s Local Rights Programme, Hajara Opaluwa-Adamu is to complement the Nigerian government’s efforts to cushion the hardship, Nigerians, especially women have been subjected to in the past few weeks due to the outbreak.

The packages distributed to beneficiaries at Tunga-Ashere on Friday by Actionaid Nigeria and CITAD

The beneficiaries which cut across four hard-to-reach communities; Tunga-Ashere, Tunga-Nasara, Jiwa Tsofo and Gwalada, all in Abuja Municipal Area Councils of the FCT, each smiled home with a package containing food and non food items worth N9, 000.

The packages distributed to beneficiaries at Tunga-Nasara on Friday by Actionaid Nigeria and CITAD

The items included, 5kg of rice, 5kg of beans, 2kg of semovita, 4 packets(piece) of spaghetti, 25 piece of maggi star, 3 sachet of power oil, 5 pieces of noodles,1 roll of milk sachet,1 roll of Milo sachet,1roll of sachet tomato paste and 500g of salt.

Community members help to off load the palliatives from another Actionaid vehicle

Other contents of the package were a pack of sanitary pad, two tablets of washing soap and additional 20 packs of sanitary pads for young girls.

Actionaid Nigeria Local Rights Programme Advisor, Hajara Opaluwa-Adamu distributing sanitary to young girls at the event on Friday while CITAD Program Officer, Salma Abdulwaheed watched

Seventy five households each from the communities benefitted from the gesture which, Adamu said became necessary to augment the Federal Government’s palliatives earlier distributed to some communities.

In order to ensure that the most vulnerable in the communities were identified for the intervention with participation of the communities in line with Actionaid human rights based approach, she said that the selection of beneficiaries was collectively, carried out with stakeholders in the communities, during which tallies were given to the intending beneficiaries before the distribution dates.

One of the three women(in yellow Hijab) selected in Tunga-Ashere communities to lead the distribution of the palliatives in line with Actionaid Women led humanitarian response approach.

Some of the criteria employed to ensure that the most vulnerable in the communities benefitted, she revealed, include, households with more than eight dependents, with four being under the age of 5, women headed households and households with terminally ill relatives.

Two of the three women(in yellow Hijab) selected in Tunga-Nasara communities to lead the distribution of the palliatives in line with Actionaid Women led humanitarian response approach.

She added that households with any child under 5 years who is severely mal nourished or more than one child who is moderately mal nourished, households with pregnant and lactating mothers that includes any of the other criteria as well as child-headed households were considered.

Beneficiaries maintain two metres distance from one another while waiting to receive the palliatives at Tunga-Ashere

Meanwhile, those in the communities excluded from the distribution consisted those employed either in public or private institutions and receive monthly income, those receiving remittance from families. (Not zakat), those that have benefited from any palliative program where food assistance have been given in the last one month and those who own assets such as motor vehicles, herds of cattle, shops or private business.

Adamu said the intervention was Actionaid Nigeria’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic which has already affected over 3.8 million persons across the world with over 260,000 confirmed deaths.

CITAD Program Officer, Salma Abdulwaheed speaking to beneficiaries on how to stay safe from Coronavirus at Tunga-Ashere on Friday.

She said the gesture will be replicated in three other states in Nigeria.

“Everyone is aware of the current situation in the world, that is the Coronavirus pandemic and Actionaid is responding to that.
This is one of our communities where intervention is carried out. Currently, we are doing the food and non food distribution in about four states. FCT, Kaduna, Akwa Ibom and Lagos State.

Actionaid Nigeria Communications Consultant, Lola Ayanda presents one of the packages to a beneficiaries at Tunga-Ashere, while one of the women selected in the community(in yellow Hijab) to assist with the distribution, helps

“This is our day two of the distribution. All the communities we are doing this intervention is under AMAC, reasons being that we went round the five area councils where we work, we noticed that AMAC is very large, so most of our communities in the council did not get the Federal Government palliatives distributed and some communities where it get to, in some cases, it was only about 30 households and the 30 households was taken by men, so it means that they are leaving the women suffering, ” she said.

More women receive sanitary pad on Friday during the distribution at Tunga-Ashere

In line with Actionaid Nigeria’s policy of putting women who are vulnerable first in its interventions, the Local Rights Programme Advisor said women were prioritized in the distributions.

She explained that three women were selected from each of the communities to lead the distribution of the palliatives in line with Actionaid Women led humanitarian response approach.

The village chief of Tunga-Nasara presenting his remarks in appreciation of the kind gesture by Actionaid and CITAD

“You know when you want to talk about the poorest of the poor, women are more affected and their children, so Actionaid thought it wise that in line with putting women first in all our interventions, with a little amount we can also reach some households, so in FCT currently, we are reaching about 300 households with food and non food material,” said Adamu.

On the criteria for selection of the beneficiaries, she explained: “We looked at the most vulnerables among all the communities. Even though we work in about 19 communities in the FCT, we looked at the most vulnerable and those that got less of the Federal Government palliatives with the participation of the community.”

She said sometimes in March when the Coronavirus was first reported in Nigeria, Actionaid Nigeria rolled out its intervention with sensitization campaigns to educate the communities where the organization is presently offering interventions about the Coronavirus, what to do to avoid infection and spread of the disease.

Beneficiaries awaiting their packages at Tunga-Nasara

“Each of the 19 communities were supported with IEC materials, Microphones, sanitizers, demonstration of hand wash was done and the microphones are being switched on currently, morning and evening to play back audio recordings on the dos and donts and misconceptions of the Coronavirus around the communities in local dialect, to keep the people abreast with what they are to do and what they should not do in the face of the pandemic.”

Beneficiaries with their packages after receiving the donations at Tunga-Ashere

Addressing each communities during the exercise, CITAD Program Officer, Salma Abdulwaheed recalled the danger associated with not adhering strictly to the social distancing, hand washing and other guidelines to prevent infection and spread of the disease.

CITAD Program Officer, Salma Abdulwaheed speaking to beneficiaries on in how to stay safe from Coronavirus at Tunga-Nasara in company of Actionaid Nigeria team members on Friday.

She advised members of the communities to take responsibility for their life and well being by avoiding gatherings and practise hygiene which is even more critical at this time

While responding to the gesture, the village heads of the beneficiary communities commended the efforts of Actionaid Nigeria and CITAD towards improving the lives of hard-to-reach communities in the FCT.

The village chief of Tunga-Ashere during his appreciation remark at the distribution

The community head of Tunga-Ashere, Sani Yakubu said his community was very grateful for receiving the aid, saying, the items received will go a long way in sustaining the beneficiaries as they continue to observe the social distancing and lockdown order of the Federal Government.

Meanwhile, the distribution of COVID-19 palliatives by Actionaid and CITAD in the FCT, which commenced on Thursday with Gwalada community,followed by Tunga-Ashere and Tunga-Nasara respectively on Friday, is expected to be concluded, tomorrow, Saturday, May 9,2020 with the distribution of the palliatives to 75 households in Jiwa Tsofo.

Kano COVID-19 Battlespace Takes a ‘Civil Society’ Turn

The battle against Coronavirus siege on Kano is taking a ‘civil society’ turn with the “Kano Against Covid-19” platform emerging as citizens and civil society initiative on the matter. The initiative which has been in the making is formally stepping out with the declaration that the state “appears to be in a full scale community transmission with many deaths recorded in the last two to three weeks”.

‘Kano Against COVID-19’ set to replicate the global example?

It is locating this in what it calls “profound series of misunderstanding of the disease in Kano” which it is set to overwhelm by working with key stakeholders such as the State Government, traditional rulers, religious leaders and the media. That way, the amalgam hopes to combat the epidemic through information warfare.

Of recent, civil society participation in social dynamics has been dominated by the debate about what power resource the advocacy merchants have got. Interestingly, the management of pandemics is where the civil society has made the most striking input since 2003, mysterious decentering state power and even the WHO in the management of SARS in 2003 in ways that have been really fascinating. This initiative could thus be a Nigerian case study depending on how strikingly successful it turns out.

 

 

Thematised around structures such as the Governance and Delivery Framework, Deploying Technology and Innovation to Address the Pandemic, Community mobilisation and public awareness, Health Management of the Pandemic and so on, the initiative would be working with stakeholders to popularize the advisory delivered by the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) for example, on the interment of possible victims of COVID-19 pandemic, (containing safer and Islamically legitimate ways of washing, shrouding carrying out Janazah prayers for suspected Covid-19 victims). It would equally work with NCDC to supplementing or enforcing protocols compliant with the NCDC guidelines for burials, amongst others.

Dr. Ihekweazu, one of those the initiative will be working with as Head of the NCDC

Another partner of the initiative as Head of the NSCIA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The process has already started with series of intensive virtual meetings and consultations with these and other bodies as in the case of the Monday 4th May, 2020 strategy meeting by 72 persons, among them community leaders, professionals of various backgrounds and civil society leaders.  The meeting in question enjoyed briefing from Dr. Sani Aliyu, National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, Dr. Nasir Sani Gwarzo, Head of the Presidential Task Force to Kano along with his colleague, Dr. Mukhtar Mohammed; Prof. Musa Mohammed Borodo, the Head of the Scientific Committee of the Kano State Government on Covid-19 as well as Ms Zouera Youssoufou, CEO of Aliko Dangote Foundation.

But the initiative did not forget to mention that it is obvious that there was inadequate preparation at the state level and control measures were ineffective. It laments lack of clear messaging to the citizens, notes discordant tunes from some religious and community leaders expressing doubts about the existence of the disease, all of which folded into the ineffectual enforcement of the lockdown subsequently introduced by the State authorities.

Expected to transform both the grand ideas and specific tasks into productive outcomes are the big names associated with the initiative as listed in the statement to that effect. They include Members of  Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa; Alhaji Abba Dabo; Prof. M. Y. Bello, VC, BUK; Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman; Prof. Fatima B. Mukhtar, VC, FUD; Hajuya Fatima Wali Abdulrahman; Isyaku Umar Tofa, Danadala; Sule Yahaya Hamma; A. B. Mahmoud SAN and Prof. A. Yadudu.

These are the members of the Governing structure while the members of the Steering Committee include Prof Jibrin Ibrahim; A, B. Mahmoud SAN; Prof. Awwalu. Yadudu; Prof Mohammed Tabiu; Maryam Uwais; Prof Mahmoud Sani; Aisha Oyebode; Amal Hassan and Y. Z. Ya’u.

Kano Citizens Converge Against Coronavirus

PROMINENT Kano citizens have risen to the challenge posed by the escalation in the number of infections that has dramatically shot the state to number one position to form a common front against Covid-19. A Press Statement from the group, Kano Against Covid-19 – A Citizens and Civil Society Initiative, has revealed.

The group’s emergence followed a recent Save-Our-Soul (SOS) by the Executive Director of Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Mallam Yunusa Zakari Ya’u, to Kano intellectuals, captains of business and leaders of thought as the rate of infections for coronavirus rose sharply. As the rate of infections climbed, reports of dozens of ‘mysterious deaths’ also emerged; deaths which were said to have mimicked covid-19 cases.

Prominent members of the Kano Against Covid-19 Initiative include Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa, Alhaji Abba Dabo, Prof. M. Y. Bello, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, Prof. Fatima B. Mukhtar, Hajuya Fatima Wali Abdulrahman , Alhaji Isyaku Umar Tofa, Danadala; Alhaji Sule Yahaya Hamma; A. B. Mahmoud (SAN) and Prof. Awwalu Yadudu (SAN).

Others include Prof Jibrin Ibrahim; Prof Mohammed Tabiu; Maryam Uwais; Prof Mahmoud Sani; Aisha Oyebode Amal Hassan and Mallam Y. Z. Ya’u.

Notice -The group, after a series of engagements with healthcare professional, observed and came out with recommendations which it said are very urgent in containing the pandemic in the state.

Noting that on-the-ground-assessments have shown that Kano is at the stage of widespread community infection, especially in the densely populated core local government areas of the metropolis – Dala, Municipal and Gwale, the group recommend the need to establish the extent and pattern of the epidemic by rapidly expanding testing and the provision of more testing centres and kits; the provision of more bed spaces for isolation, holding areas and case management of patients and the unified management protocols for all covid-19 patients in the state and the urgent need to procure and deliver of sufficient Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for protection of medical personnel, a significant number of whom had been infected in the early days of the infection in the state.

Other urgent steps recommended by the group include the need to introduce a system of triage, sorting and provision of telemedicine facilities to ensure medical care for all sick persons due to the fact that virtually all medical centres in the state have stopped admitting patients for non-covid-19 infections; the urgent need to improve on the welfare of healthcare workers in terms of remuneration, accommodation, adequate protection and health insurance; and finally, the need to set up a joint task force consisting of the members of the current State Task Force and representation from AKTH and NOH Dala – for improved synergy and coordination and for unified decisions and synergy in the implementation of strategies.

ACCORDING TO THE GROUP, WHILE SOME STATES SUCH AS LAGOS EXHIBITED GREATER CAPABILITY AND PROFESSIONALISM IN DEALING WITH THE CRISIS AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MOBILIZE RESOURCES WITHIN A SHORT SPAN OF TIME TO PUT EFFECTIVE STRUCTURES ON GROUND AND ALSO ADDRESS SOME OF THE HUMANITARIAN NEEDS OF THEIR PEOPLE, THE OPPOSITE WAS THE CASE IN KANO STATE DUE TO POOR PREPARATION AND POOR LEADERSHIP DIRECTION ALL OF WHICH COMBINED TO CREATE DOUBTS IN THE CITIZENRY ON THE REALITY OF COVID-18.

“Unfortunately, the situation in Kano State has been quite worrisome, if not alarming.  It now appears to be in a full scale community transmission with many deaths recorded in the last two to three weeks.

“It was obvious that there was inadequate preparation at the state level and control measures were ineffective. There was lack of clear messaging to the citizens. Discordant tunes were also coming from some religious and community leaders expressing doubts about the existence of the disease.

“The lockdown subsequently introduced by the State authorities was not vigorously enforced even after the Federal authorities extended the period. There was seeming dissonance in the institutional framework for the coordination of the State Covid-19 Control efforts, including crisis within the Task Force after some of its members became infected.  The only testing facility at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) was temporarily closed after being contaminated.

“It was in this context that Kano stakeholders and community leaders came together in a citizen initiative – Kano Against Covid-19 to determine how best to assist in contributing to an effective strategy for dealing with the Covid-19 outbreak in Kano,” the statement notes.

The statement outlined five objectives of the initiative which include to engage in advocacy and mobilisation along the three tiers of government, within the community, the private sector, civil society and international partners to combat the pandemic; identity the key problems and challenges bedevilling efforts to curb the spread of covid-19 in the state; develop an intervention logic practices with the competencies and capacity to address the problem and challenges identified; develop a framework on how to engage collectively to contribute to a better strategy of curtailing and containing the spread of the virus in Kano; and provide a strategy that adequately prepares for the post-covid era, in Kano.

According to the Citizens and Civil Society Initiative, the last few days have been exclusively dedicated to engagements on how to overcome the infection in the state.

“In the last few days we have held series of intensive virtual meetings and consultations to map out a framework and strategy for intervention. At our third meeting on Monday 4th May, 2020 at 9.00 pm, there were 72 persons in attendance. These include prominent community leaders, professionals of various backgrounds and civil society leaders.

“During our meetings we had the benefit of engaging with and being briefed by several professionals engaged in the effort to control the spread of the disease in Kano.  These include Dr. Sani Aliyu, National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19,  as well as Dr. Nasir Sani Gwarzo, Head of the Presidential Task Force to Kano, along with his colleague, Dr. Mukhtar Mohammed. We were also briefed by Prof. Musa Mohammed Borodo, the Head of the Scientific Committee of the Kano State Government on Covid-19.

“At two of our meetings, we also had the benefit of being briefed by Ms Zouera Youssoufou, CEO of Aliko Dangote Foundation. We are greatly appreciative of their efforts in assisting our understanding of the Kano situation. We also thank them for their immense sacrifices and empathy,” the group stated.

The group, noting that due to the profound series of misunderstanding of the disease in Kano, emphasise the need for the state government to work with other stakeholders such as traditional rulers, religious leaders and the media to improve on public enlightenment on combatting the epidemic.

“Currently, the continuation of congregational prayers in some mosques, playing of football and other sports, mass attendance of burials and mourning scenarios all indicate a very poor understanding of social distancing which must be urgently addressed.

“Working with stakeholders to popularize the advisory delivered by the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) on the interment of possible victims of COVID-19 pandemic (which recommends safer and Islamically legitimate ways of washing, shrouding carrying out Janazah prayers for suspected Covid-19 victims), the Initiative would support enforcement efforts, which also complies with the NCDC guidelines for burials .

“It is strongly recommended that attendance at Funerals (Salatul Janazah and Burial) for all Deceased (COVID19 and Non-COVID19) during the period of the Pandemic should NOT be encouraged by all people due to the high potential for  COVID19 infection.

“To introduce a new and more inclusive, efficient and transparent approach to the collection and distribution of palliatives through trustworthy community-based organizations.

“Advocacy on the importance of wearing face masks and staying at home (unless absolutely necessary) shall be ramped up, through appropriate media and advocacy channels,” the initiative advised, adding that it will also be deploying technology and innovation to address the pandemic.

“We are working with relevant stakeholders to develop content to mount a social media enlightenment campaign; setting up a call centre facility to support easier contact with NCDC and another one for the public who might be in need for quick interventions; developing an App that enables people to self- test themselves based on questions provided by the Ministry of Health. The result of the self-test would go directly to the NCDC and it can use it as basis to act, and raising of funds to allow these engagements to proceed effectively.”

Tenth Twitter Chat on Addressing the Needs of Women and Girls in the Lockdown Palliatives with Mrs Ene Obi, Country Director, Action Aid Nigeria

In continuation of its enlightening program amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the centre for information technology and development (CITAD) has today , the 30th of April, 2020 held its 11th twitter chat with a good governance advocate, and women and girls rights specialist, Mrs. Ene Obi, country Director of Action Aid Nigeria. The twitter chat is part of the Centre for Information Technology and Development efforts in helping the fight against the deadly coronavirus virus in the country which is being held twice every week. In the twitter chat, CITAD uses to invite great personalities from different professions to come and interact with people in the hope of finding solutions to many problems associated with pandemic.

 

This week the chat focuses on the needs of women and girls palliatives in this lockdown, the guest started by explaining the needs of women and girls which to her are practical needs such as food, nutritional supports for infants and children and sanitary. She stated that a lockdown may not be prepared for and in a situation where you have many homes below the poverty line, it becomes critical and challenging for them.

 

Mrs. Obi further explain that Palliatives from what she have seen so far has not targeted women and girls except may be the food items, but other needs are not being captured. In her words “it is important to note that women are still having babies and girls still continue with their monthly periods. No matter what, that is humanity in display”.

 

In responding to a question about the increase of domestic violence during this lockdown, she advised that “it is important to focus on practical needs and strategic needs of women and girls such as protection services. This includes shelter, medicals including psychosocial support services in order to address the interconnection of the lockdown and gender based violence”.

 

During the interaction, the guest took her time to explain the challenges of women and girls during this lockdown and the way forward, she also responded to questions asked by the participants.

Below are some of the questions and comments from the chat:

 

@ICTAdvocates  First of all Ms,what are the needs of women and girls in the lockdown palliative?

 

@ene_obi replying to @ICTAdvocates A lockdown may not be prepared for and in a situation were you have many homes below the poverty line, it becomes critical.

@ICTAdvocates replying to @ene_obi Again are there specific needs of women and girls that palliative measures should beaddressing in this lockdown season,

@ene_obi replying to  @ICTAdvocates There are practical needs such as food, nutritional supports for infants and children/ sanitary including wash. These are essential and critical needs of women and girls

 

 

@ene_obi Palliatives from what I have seen so far has not targeted women and girls except may the food items but not the other. It is important to note women are still having children, girls continue with the monthly periods no matter what, that is humanity in display.

 

@ibrahimsulaiman replying to  @ene_obi

This is serious. Government and other stakeholders should pay much attention to the plight of women in order to be able to addressed this problem.

 

@sanibalashehuka replying to@ene_obi O may God! as a mother an activist and advocate, what do you suggest to the humanitarian minister to do more to women and girls child, being she too is a women? does women ignore women misery and suffering? wish you all the best.

 

@ene_obi replying to @ sanibalashehuka: Women and girls need to be consulted on what they need. This implies doing a rapid assessment of what they need. Gender needs should be addressed. Women and girls are traditional bearers of the burden of the home but their voices are hardly heard in planning

 

@mukhtars_s replying to @ene_obi Ma pls what do you think will help to achieve the efficient and equitable distribution of relief packages to these vulnerable Nigerians especially Women and girls.

 

@ene_obi Replying to @SANIBALASHEHUKA@ICTAdvocates top of the issues are non inclusion of the Ministry of Women Affairs at the COVID-19 Task Force, at the community response, LGA, states and at the national levels

 

@Mukhtars_s replying to @ene_ob i:. So far, the distribution of palliatives have not created desired meaningful impact on the livelihoods of the targeted poor masses.

@ene_obiReplying to  @a_sabo12 @ICTAdvocates and 6 others Ali, it is important to listen to the women and girls in the house. They know what they need but without asking them you can provide the wrong things. It is also not true in many homes that it is only men that are shouldering the responsibilities.

@salma replying to@ene_obi, what is so far your assessment of the concerns of women and girls in this lockdown moment? @a_sabo12 @ICTAdvocatesand 6 others

 

@ene_obi Plan with the household and learn to listen within the household. It is important to discuss and have inclusion in deciding not only because you have but value their unpaid care work at the home level @SANIBALASHEHUKA @ICTAdvocates  and 6 others

 

@ene_obi In the circumstances, she is doing the best that she can. We would encourage her to take into account the needs of women and girls. That is why in the humanitarian response of ActionAid Nigeria, we work with women headed household and take Ministry

Replying to @SANIBALASHEHUKA@ICTAdvocates and 6 others

 

@ene_obi Their needs usually is the needs of their families. We encourage those at the state levels to also take these needs into consideration in their work on palliatives. The Government should also provide the necessary resource to enhance the work of the Ministry

 

@SANIBALASHEHUKA I think the nation is still waiting for the palliatives. Some states are trying and we see rice moving to states but what is the real government plan on the palliatives, we are yet to  that Ene Obi @ene_obi They need the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and at the state levels as well

 

@SANIBALASHEHUKA to @ene_obi  Ma, you have rise many important issues that women and girls are left out during the planning stage and many stages of policy cycles, agencies such as women affairs, statistic bureau to just mention but a few. can the CSOs get in to Assist at both FG, States and LG? it may help!

 

@ene_obi to @sanibala: They need the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and at the state levels as well

 

@ene_obi to @ mukhtar: The programme was started in 2016 by the present government. The Government needs to come out with clear programmes for the people and we need to include the needs of women at the rural areas and the urban poor

 

@ene_obi to @mukhar: We must distinguish between the National Social Investment Programme which is now under the Ministry of Humanitarian, Disaster Management and Social Development. This includes the cash transfer, it is not a COVID-19 palliatives

 

@ene_obi to @ICTAdvocatesThey urgently need sanitary supplies along everything that is been distributed. ActionAid and CITAD is working together in some communities. Take all that has been suggested and ensure that those needs are into the decisions

 

@ene_obi Replying to @ICTAdvocates@YZYau and 10 others Families and the Government at all levels need to be more sensitive about the needs of women and girls and take that consideration into planning for emergencies and long term planning as well. Their participation and inclusion is as important

 

 

@ooomiiiii to @ene_obi During the town hall meeting AIT hosted, the minister of humanitarian

@Sadiya_farouq said they are collaborating with @ActionAidNG to ensure transparency in the distribution of the pallaitives, In what way has Actionaid collaborated with federal government?

 

@ene_obi Replying to @ooomiiiii and @ICTAdvocates Education of the girl child and continuous education of women is key to their development and their contribution to national development.

 

@ene_obi, we would like to please end with recommendations regarding catering foe women and girls concerns in the palliative measures, and generally outside of the palliatives, that perhaps include roles of different stakeholders in the society @YZYau@Mairo_Ado@HariraWak@SANIBALASHEHUKA

 

Replying to @ene_obi @ICTAdvocates and 6 otherswe really enjoy, this tweeter Chat and learn a lot there in, we wish you all the best

@ene_obi in your day to day undertaking and i will close this little one third finish statement by saying we love you, God Loves You and God Bless You.

@YZYau @ICTAdvocates bye. till next tweet.

 

@ene_obi Replying to  @ICTAdvocates@YZYau and 10 others Women farmers need farm inputs such as fertilizers and seedlings. They need the support of government to continue production and sustain food security for the country

@ene_obiReplying  to @ICTAdvocates @YZYau and 5 others Poverty needs to be further addressed. Many women cannot feed their family. Majority of Nigerians are daily earners, cutting that creates untold suffering as many men are unable to feed their families, similarly, women who are daily earners are at a loss

 

@ene_obi Replying to @ChiromaHope @ICTAdvocates and 3 others It will be nice if you can start from your community, the culture of silence is negating what efforts people are putting in. If it is somebody’s daughter today, it can be your daughter tomorrow. If you do not protect the girl today, what would happen to yours

 

@ICTAdvocates It has really been such a great and beneficial discourse by @ene_obi Country Director of @ActionAidNG, we thank you very much for the insightful talk, #staysafe Ma. We also thank everyone for the robust participation. See you again for another chat next week @YZYau @HariraWakili

 

New Explanation for Kano Death Toll Emerging

Attention is shifting rapidly from COVID-19 itself to the attitude of the residents and the negligence by the state government to be more proactive in the understanding of the rising death toll in the Northwestern state of Kano in Nigeria. The Centre for Information Technology and Development, (CITAD) which is pushing this line in its latest situation report has come down harshly on the residents, severely blaming the citizens for neither complying with the directives given by the state government nor adhering to the advice given by health professionals without realizing it is putting their lives in great danger every day.

Why are the masses not listening to

instructions by political leaders?

Would things be like they are if he were still around?

 

 

It is also advising the Kano State Government in favour of being more proactive and to stop waiting for support from Federal government, wealthy individuals and development partners. CITAD is also alleging that security personnel attached to the check points in the state have found lucrative business in the check points, making check points a ‘pay and pass gates’ instead of them preventing people from violating the lockdown order.

The attitude in question may not be unconnected with citizens’ attitude to a number of things happening at the same time around the Kano area. Some of them must be the COVID-19 pandemic, the high temperature across the country but particularly in Kano area now; the Muslim fasting in which all Muslims are participating as a primary religious obligation, (there is an unverified claim that the number of deaths during fasting which coincides with hot season is always high and the victims are those with underlying ailments), all of these in a place where the health infrastructural underlay is very minimal.

Not only was the only testing centre at Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital closed down briefly, for example, only resuming after a weeklong suspension of testing, basically all other hospitals in the metropolis are shut or barely operating. This applies to all three private hospitals rated as the biggest in Kano: are, Kings Gate and International Clinic.

Although CITAD is not mentioning anything like this, it has reported many mosques still observing congregational prayers in defiance of the state government’s directives to that effect. CITAD reports the observance of Friday congregational prayers this week at Kuyan Ta Inna Juma’at Mosque in Kumbotso Local Government Area in the presence of security personnel. Residents are also said to be breaking adhering to social distancing as advised by the health professionals.

Similarly, markets activities were still ongoing in many places without observing any precautionary measures. Reports from Yan Lemo Market indicated that there are normal activities in the market while traders were also going about their normal activities in the presence of security personnel at Sagemu Unguwar Kwari in Kumbotso Local Government Area. Shops are also open on In zoo road, a major street in Kano town.

Much of the deaths are not in the media at all

Large crowds have been cited at many burial in the city as well as at condolences places where social distancing were not observed just as there are no precautionary measures in handling of the corpses in these burials.

Also in CITAD’s latest situation report is the movement of people with minor checks here and there, with Keke NAPEP riders operating with alleged connivance of the security personnel “who collect money at every check point”.

Above all, inter-state movement is still in full swing, with so much pointing at the collapse of the stay at home order due to what CITAD calls “the government’s inability and citizens I don’t care attitude”. But CITAD did not indicate which government since the current phase of the lockdown in Kano is a federal directive and the FG is expected to police it. Kano is now in the third week of the total lockdown in the state

Meanwhile, according to the CITAD update on the situation signed by Mallam Ali Sabo, its Campaigns and Communications Officer, confirmed cases in the state have continued rising on daily basis, the highest being 80 confirmed cases on April 30th, 2020, making it the state with highest number of confirmed cases in the country after Lagos. CITAD has thus argued that “Given the rate at which the cases are increasing, and the current combined capacity of the isolation spaces in the state which currently is at less 400 bed space, there is urgent need for the State government to quickly convert some structures into isolation centres to accommodate the number of confirmed cases In the state”.

The debate now is whether it is the attitude of the people who are simply observing their deeply ingrained religious consciousness by daring COVID-19 where the restrictions clash with observance of congregational prayers, for instance or the absence of leaders who can calm the multitude in moments of stress. It bears repeating the scenario of Mallam Aminu Kano being still alive and asking the people to observe these restrictions, would the situation CITAD has graphically captured in its situation report been the same?

There is an argument that having alienated themselves by rigging their way into power, stealing the people blind and incompetently organizing governance, the people instinctively resist whatever the political leaders say, even when it is in the interest of the people. This is not specific to Kano but across Nigeria except that Kano had a dissident within the power elite it could have relied upon in moments of stress such as this but they just chucked him out. Now, the falcon cannot hear the falconer and there is no signifier!

Press Statement on the Current Situation of the Lockdown In Kano State By the Centre for Information Technology and Development (XII)

1st May, 2020

Today Friday, the 1st of May, 2020 Kano state residents have entered third week of the total lockdown in the state with only 16 hours partial lifting of the order on the 23rd of April. In this period the confirmed cases in the state continued to surge as more cases are being recorded on daily basis since the resumption of the only testing centre at Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital after a long week of suspending the testing by the centre. Yesterday, the 30th of April, 2020 Kano state recorded the highest number of confirmed cases in the country (80) making it the second state with highest number of confirmed cases in the country after Lagos. This took the tally of the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 219 with 5 fatalities. This was a state that three weeks ago had no any confirmed case of covid-19. As of 17th of April when Kano state government decided to impose the total lockdown, the state had only 27 confirmed cases as against Abuja with 69. Kano state today has 219 confirmed cases while Abuja has 178. The increase of the number of confirmed cases in the state cannot be unrelated with the attitude of the state residents and the negligence by the state government to be more proactive in the fight. In addition, many ugly incidences had happened in the previous weeks which could be avoided, including the contamination of the testing lab, which led to its closure for days, the infection of the medical personnel, including members of the State Task Force Committee on Covid-19 in the state.

OBSERVATIONS:

From our observations in the state we found out that many mosques are still observing congregational prayers in defiance of the state government directives and without adhering to the social distancing as advised by the health professionals. Also, our observers reported that Friday congregational prayer was held at Kuyan Ta Inna Juma’at Mosque in Kumbotso local Government in the presence of security personnel.

Similarly, markets activities were still ongoing in many places without observing any precaution measures. Reports from Yan Lemo Market indicated that there are normal activities in the market, at Sagemu Unguwar Kwari in Kumbotso Local Government traders are also going with their normal activities in the presence of security personnel and without taking any preventive measures. In zoo road, people are facially going about with their businesses with many shops open.

Also large crowds were seen at many burial in the city as well as at condolences places where social distancing were not observed. In addition, there were no precaution about the handling of the corpses in these burials.

However, movements of people are being sighted by our observers in the city. In every major road in the city people are going with their normal movements with some check points here and there. Many reports indicate that still Keke Napep Riders are allowed to operate with connivance of the security personnel who collect money at every check point. Inter-state movement is still not being stopped as people still travel in and out of the state. In summary, the stay at home order has collapsed due to the government inability and citizens I don’t care attitude.

OUR CONCERNS:

CITAD concludes from its observations and assessment that the state government is too slow in its response in curtailing the situation. The state government should be more focused on what it can do than waiting for support from Federal government, wealthy individuals and development partners. In the process, the state is furthering of unnecessary deaths. Security personnel attached to the check points in the state have found lucrative business in the check points. Instead of them to prevent people from violating the lockdown order, they have made their check points a pay and pass gates. While the citizens whose their lives are in great danger, they seen not care about complying with the directives given by the state government and adhering to the advice given by health professionals which is putting their lives every day at great danger.

OUR CALL:

Bases on the situation in the state:

  1. Kano state government to make priority the lives of the state residents
  2. The state government should form a high-level committee that will include traditional and religious leaders to ensure compliance with the stay at home order
  3. Security personnel should desist from collecting bribe at check points and that anyone caught doing so should be disciplined
  4. The residents to respect the government order of staying at home and adhere to the advice given by health professionals
  5. Philanthropists and wealthy individuals to help the most vulnerable people in their areas
  6. Government and other stakeholders should quickly come up with protocols for burials to avoid further mass infections
  7. In order to ensure that other people with non-covid19 related illness are given medical attention, there is the need for government to provide personnel protective equipment (PPEs) and training to all healthcare personnel in the state.
  8. Given the rate at which the cases are increasing, and the current combined capacity of the isolation spaces in the state which currently is at less 400 bed space, there is urgent need for the State government to quickly convert some structures into isolation centres to accommodate the number of confirmed cases In the state.

Ali Sabo

Campaigns and Communication Officer

The Tenth Twitter Chart on Promoting Accountability in Covid-19 Spending With Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Executive Director Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)

In continuation of its enlightening program amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the centre for information technology and development (CITAD) has today Wednesday, the 29th of April, 2020 held its 9th twitter chat with Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, the Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre who is also the chair, Transparency International in Nigeria. Malam Auwal is an anti-corruption activist, propagate of good governance and accountability who has decades of experience in the civil society struggle.

The twitter chat is part of the Centre for Information Technology and Development efforts in helping the fight against the deadly coronavirus virus in the country which is being held twice every week. In the twitter chat, CITAD uses to invite great personalities from different professions to come and interact with people in the hope of finding solutions to many problems associated with pandemic.

This week the chat focuses on Promoting Accountability in the Covd-19 Spending in the country. As it is the best practice all over the world, accountability is one of the keys to achieving the desired result in every project, without accountability many of the set target goals will not be achieved, money meant for fighting the virus will be siphoned and people assigned to handle the situation will not handle it as they supposed to.

Rafsanjani started by calling on the government at all levels to ensure accountability in dealing with Covid-19 and not use it as a diverted funds or play politics. He also suggested that accountability groups be incorporated to support it. He called on the government to ensure procurement processes follow due process and advised government to desist from sharing fake food items to public which he believe, if it is true, it is deceitful. Mr. Auwal stated that there is need for Civil Society to be fully involve to ensure accountability in the whole process. The guests also advocated for a legal framework that will enable government to prepare for any disaster or pandemic of this nature.

During the interaction, the guest took his time to explain what accountability is and its process, he also responded to questions asked by the participants. Below are some of the questions and comments from the chat:

Good afternoon everyone. Welcome to today’s chat on “Promoting Accountability in the #Covid_19 Spending”. Our speaker is anti-corruption specialist & advocate, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani (@auwal_musa), the Executive Director of @cislacnigeria

.

@ICTAdvocates:

Thank you very much @auwal_musa for joining us today for the chat on promoting accountability in the #COVID19 spending.

 

@AuwalMusa:

Thank you for having me.

 

@ICTAdvocates:

@auwal_musa, we would like to start by asking what your general assessment of the spending to address the #COVID19 pandemic in #Ngeria is

 

 

 

 

@AuwalMusa:

The general assessment is that it hasn’t been as transparent as we want it to be. There are a lot of discrepancies of information coming from the custodians of the funds & how it is being spent…

 

…The task force that was set up doesn’t include the requisite accountability institutions. This poses questions like how transparent & accountable the process has been.

 

It is obvious that the issue of spending on COVID-19 has not met the expectations of Nigerians because so far the targeted vulnerable groups have not been supported with food, water & access to testing facilities.

 

@ICTAdvocates:

Will this have implications on the lockdown now in full force almost everywhere in the country?

 

Since the task force itself lacks accountability mechanism, is that hinting problem in the way funds will be managed and spent @auwal_musa?

 

 

 

@AuwalMusa:

@cislacnigeria

saw this coming at the beginning & that is why we issued a statement demanding for total accountability in the management of #COVID-19. We even suggested inclusion of some govt agencies working on #anticorruption and credible NGOs and media, but…

 

@ICTAdvocates:

Were your recommendations considered?

 

@AuwalMusa:

We are yet to see any implemented.

 

@Sagiru_Ado:

@auwal_musa, wealthy individuals are afraid of making donations because of the lack of transparency and accountability of most of the government machineries at all levels. Sir, what strategies will wealthy people follow to ensure that donations reach the needys?

 

 

 

@AuwalMusa:

My previous response applies here. It is up to the non-state actors to monitor the donations and information given about spending from the committee in order to verify & confirm that the money or items reached the needy.

 

@ICTAdvocates:

@auwal_musa, we have heard about donations made different wealthy individuals,corporate organizations&even government agencies, of course so much money has been realized, how can accountability be ensured in spending the money to address the #COVID19 pandemic in #Nigeria?

 

 

@aUWALmUSA:

It’s a bit reactive in nature to start looking for how accountability will be ensured in the process that we are already thinking of the end. What can be done now is that the @nassnigeria under its oversight mandate should demand an annotated report of the spendings…

 

@ICTAdvocates:

Do you think this is necessary? How will this help in promoting accountability in the spendings to address #COVID19 in the country?

 

 

@AuwalMusa:

You cannot state that the Legislature do not have a stake in the oversight of what happens to an intervention fund housed by the @cenbank running into billions of naira. What then is their oversight job if not majorly to ensure that prudence is applied…

… in the implementation of ANY government engagement.

 

@AuwalMusa:

We are already seeing the implications as some Nigerians do not trust the govt anymore. Promises were made but many are yet to see the manifestation of those promises yet officials keeping saying that they have provided palliatives…

Auwal Musa:

Again, in some places, there were contaminated food items and expired drip were taken to some states and they were rejected.

 

 

 


Salma Abdulwaheed

@ooomiiiii

@auwal_musa, for transparency in distribution of palliatives, what are the proactive measures needed to be put in place for every penny spent?

 

@auwal_musa:

Without the presence of a monitoring team, which is basically the work of CSOs, being proactive in transparency in this process is an illusion. Implementers cannot monitor themselves.

 

@ICTAdvocates:

@auwal_musa, we have heard about donations made different wealthy individuals, corporate organizations & even government agencies, of course so much money has been realized, how can accountability be ensured in spending the money to address the #COVID19 pandemic in #Nigeria?

 

 

 

@auwal_musa:

It’s a bit reactive in nature to start looking for how accountability will be ensured in the process that we are already thinking of the end. What can be done now is that the @nassnigeria under its oversight mandate should demand an annotated report of the spendings …

 

@ICTAdvocates:

Do you think this is necessary? How will this help in promoting accountability in the spendings to address #COVID19 in the country?

 

@auwal_musa:

You cannot state that the Legislature do not have a stake in the oversight of what happens to an intervention fund housed by the @cenbank running into billions of naira. What then is their oversight job if not majorly to ensure that prudence is applied…

 

 

@auwal_musa:

…that occurred throughout the emergency era

@auwal_musa:

When the government or the committee gives details on what they have done with the money or items, non-state actors can start by tracing & monitoring in order to verify & confirm. But if there is no information from the committee then it will be difficult to track the spending

 

@ICTAdvocates:

Is there any role that anti-corruption advocates like you (@auwal_musa) and the larger Nigerian civil society can play in ensuring accountability in the #COVID19 spending?

 

@AuwalMusa:

When the government or the committee gives details on what they have done with the money or items, non-state actors can start by tracing & monitoring in order to verify & confirm. But if there is no information from the committee then it will be difficult to track the spending

 

@ICTAdvocates:

We are halfway in our Twitter Chat on “Promoting Accountability in the #COVID19 Spending in #Nigeria“, we having in the chat, an anti-corruption advocate and Executive Director of @cislacnigeria, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani (@auwal_musa). Questions/comments are welcome

 

 


Salma Abdulwaheed

@ooomiiiii:

@auwal_musa, with all the money donated to Nigeria government! Do Federal Government need to borrow more funds from IMF to fight the Pandemic?

 

  • UNANSWERED

 

@ICTAdvocates:

 

@auwal_musa, we would like to start by asking what your general assessment of the spending to address the #COVID19 pandemic in #Ngeria is

@auwal_musa:

The general assessment is that it hasn’t been as transparent as we want it to be. There are a lot of discrepancies of information coming from the custodians of the funds & how it is being spent…

 

 

@ICTAdvocates:

What are then major loopholes?

 

@auwal_musa:

Desperation to steal, divert palliatives meant for poor Nigerians by some people in govt & the committee which is largely populated by govt officials. Inadequate access to credible information fuelled by lack of transparency & accountability in the process are some of the…

@auwal_musa:

…major loopholes. Also, refusal to include credible NGOs are one of the main reasons for the shortcomings.

 

 

@ICTAdvocates:

To ensure accountability in the #COVID19 spending in #Nigeria, what would you recommend, @auwal_musa?

#StaySafeNigeria #StayHomeStayFit

 

@auwal_musa:

#anticorruption activists can play a key role to ensure transparent & accountable management & utilization of resources under COVID-19 spending through tracking procurement, direct distribution of palliatives (food & cash) to communities. These can be monitored & documented

 

@auwal_musa:

Again, NGOs can verify claims from the government or committee.

 

@ChiromaHope, This is in response to your question

Quote Tweet

Auwal Musa

@auwal_musa

When the government or the committee gives details on what they have done with the money or items, non-state actors can start by tracing & monitoring in order to verify & confirm. But if there is no information from the committee then it will be difficult to track the spending

 

 

@auwal_musa:

Sir, now that these details are not in public domain, where do we start our engagement as civic actors?

 

As civic actors, we need to start by compelling the govt to make this information public. And the information must be timely and legit otherwise we will have speculations, fake news & distortion of reality.

@ChiromaHope:

Thank you for the response!

 

 

@auwal_musa, we would like to start by asking what your general assessment of the spending to address the #COVID19 pandemic in #Ngeria is

 

@auwal_musa:

The general assessment is that it hasn’t been as transparent as we want it to be. There are a lot of discrepancies of information coming from the custodians of the funds & how it is being spent…

@auwal_musa:

…The task force that was set up doesn’t include the requisite accountability institutions. This poses questions like how transparent & accountable the process has been.

@ICTAdvocates:

Since the task force itself lacks accountability mechanism, is that hinting problem in the way funds will be managed and spent @auwal_musa?

 

@AuwalMusa:

Saw this coming at the beginning & that is why we issued a statement demanding for total accountability in the management of #COVID-19. We even suggested inclusion of some govt agencies working on #anticorruption and credible NGOs and media, but…

 

…probably because there was an agenda to block information about spending, we didn’t see the application of these suggestions.

 

 

 

@auwal_musa:

In the absence of checks and balances that would have been brought to the table by these institutions, abuse is then inevitable

 

@ICTAdvocates:

Were your recommendations considered?

 

@AuwalMusa:

We are yet to see any implemented.

@auwal_musa:

 

…probably because there was an agenda to block information about spending, we didn’t see the application of these suggestions.

@auwal_musa:

In the absence of checks and balances that would have been brought to the table by these institutions, abuse is then inevitable

So far the approach towards ensuring a proper accountability of the funds has gone wrong, so sir what will be your recommendations as to how this wrong can be corrected?

 

@ICTAdvocates:

@auwal_musa, So far the approach towards ensuring a proper accountability of the funds has gone wrong, so sir what will be your recommendations as to how this wrong can be corrected?

 

@auwal_musa:

First, the committee needs to re-organise itself to include critical stakeholders that were initially left out. Let them release timely information on what govt is doing and what spending has been done or will be done in terms of purchase of medicine, palliatives, etc…

@auwal_musa:

…They should also ensure that the procurement process follows due process. Also, let the govt desist from sharing fake food items. If true then it is deceitful. The media and CSOs need to be fully involved to ensure accountability in the entire management of #COVID19

 

@UmmiDaudaBagari:

@auwal_musa, what contribution can we, as young women in this part of the country offer in promoting transparency and accountability in the management of public resources?

 

 

@auwal_musa:

One of the ways is to work with an organised platform that can get credible information & data. Then you can monitor & track the government’s claim with pictorial evidence or videos. As individuals, you cannot do anything, hence the need to work with a credible platform