Press Statement on Lockdown of Kano State by the Centre for Information Technology and Development

We must first of all commend the Kano state government for this painful but bold decision to lockdown the state effective from 16th of April, 2020 by 10pm. It would be recalled that the state has on the 23rd of march, 2020 ordered the closure of its borders with all state, preventing people from coming and going out of the state, in order to curb the importation of this deadliest coronavirus that is ravaging cities, destroying countries’ economies and exposing the inadequacy of the health care systems of the most developed countries in the world. Since the outbreak of this pandemic, CITAD has been making press statements to call on the concerned authorities to take necessary actions, including closure of markets, mosques, ceremonial gathering and all other crowdy activities to curtail the spread of the virus among people. Unfortunately, many of the recommendations offered by CITAD including the lockdown of the state were not being taken seriously which led to the first recorded case in the state. As of yesterday, when the state decided to impose the total lockdown in the state, there were 4 confirmed cases with many people’s blood taken for testing.

The decision taken by the Kano state government to lockdown the state is a welcome step but we must not forget that the majority of the population of this most populous in the country depend on informal work which requires them to go out daily to look for what they will eat and feed their family.

We see the announcement as ambiguous and incomplete, because we all know that a directive like this cannot be achieved and successfully implemented without a laying a clear road map on how to address the problems of vulnerable groups in the state, groups that who will tomorrow find their means of livelihood has gone with the lockdown. We call on the State Governor to come out with clear and accountable plans for palliatives to meet the needs of the vulnerable.

We not that the call by two commissioners in Kano state calling the Federal government to come to the aid of the state by providing assistance to the Government.

While such calls are reasonable, it is incumbent of the State Government to as a matter of public interest and to avoid any resistance from the residents to:

  1. Come up with a clear and elaborate plan on how to support the vulnerable people in the society which must be an accountable and all-inclusive
  2. Inform the public how the donations given by different individuals and organizations have been used so far
  • The federal government to introduce a transparent and accountable monitoring mechanism to ensure the support is not being diverted
  1. The well to do individuals in the society to support poor people in their areas at this critical time

 

Ali Sabo

Campaigns and Communications Officer

Kano’s Covid-19: Gov. Ganduje Needs to Act Swiftly, CITAD Raises Alarm

Following the flurry of news of mass burials of corpses of victims of coronavirus in Kano State in the last couple of days, which authorities have tagged as fake news, the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), has raised an alarm which tend to suggest that all is truly not well with the state’s response mechanism. Below is the full text of a snap commentary on the situation by CITAD’s Executive Director, Mallam Y.Z. Ya’u made available to National Record:  

THE spate of fake news, largely to create panic among the citizenry, has only helped to obscure an important question that is of importance to Nigerians, both in Kano and in other places. It is such that as of now, Kano State’s efforts to curtail and contain the covid-19 pandemic has no coordinating leadership and it seems nobody is talking about it.

About four weeks ago, Governor Ganduje, as part of the measures to prevent the spread of the virus in the state, announced the establishment of the State Taskforce Committee to coordinate all the efforts of the government in the state. The Committee has the Deputy Governor, Nasiru Gawuna and an academic, Prof. Abdulrazaq Garba Habib, as co-chairs.

Last week, Prof. Habib, along with three other members of the Committee, tested positive for the virus and have since been medically isolated. The remaining members who tested negative also are on self-isolation as necessary precaution.

Against this background, the state’s efforts have suffered a serious setback. There is nobody providing leadership, nobody giving strategic monitoring and ideas are not flowing. In fact, information does not flow because there is no committee to provide the necessary information that will assuage the information thirst of citizens of the state.

The inability of the state government to come out with comprehensive plan for palliatives cannot also be unconnected with the fact that as of now, nobody is in charge. In the same sense, the government is incapable of responding to the management of the news flow, including several pieces of fake news that it ought to respond to and clarify which have every potential of undermining the objectives of the lockdown.

As the number of confirmed cases continues to rise, there is no gainsaying that the governor has to have people in charge for the government’s efforts to be driven and achieve meaningful results. In this, the governor has two options: either to consider the original taskforce committee as already dissolved and appoint a new one or expand the committee by appointing additional members so that it could still have sufficient number of members for it to carry out the task effectively. Whichever option the governor decides to take, time is of essence. He cannot continue to prevaricate as this battle cannot be won without leadership.

There are already urgent tasks lined up for the committee, waiting for when it will be on the ground and hit it going. For one, given the huge population of Kano and its vast size, it needs to learn from the Lagos experience by establishing testing centres in several other places and not just limited to one place.

Second, it seems that a significant number of Kano’s population, especially young people and people in the inner city, have still not to come to terms with the pandemic. There is therefore the need for sustained engagement with these segments of the population to get them to understand that this is real.

This is not an easy task, given that part of the problem is that people are beginning to distrust government and therefore see whatever government says as lies. Yet, it is still doable to get them into the fold.

Third, the lockdown is faltering in a number of places. This faltering is not just because people do not believe that there is COVID-19 but also because government’s plan for the lockdown was not clearly thought out. Two areas of immediate concern are the issue of palliatives. So far, no concrete information is out from the government. Given that a significant population of Kano makes their living in the informal sector of the economy, this is an important issue that needs urgent attention.

The other is that people are still not clear what are exempted during the lockdown. This needs to be clarified along with making a clear list of exempts which should include bakeries. This is because bread is the cheap and convenient food of the poor which they take morning, afternoon and evening.

Part of the reason is that bread does not require cooking so there is no expenditure for further cooking or time wasted in doing the cooking. Second, it does not require additional expenditure such as when cooking, say rice, which requires stew to be made. If bakeries are closed, then a huge population of the city in particular will see their daily food gone and would come under immense hardship as they will find it difficult to find a substitute.

One area that one of the “news” sought to play upon is that people were dying in Kano because the hospitals are closed. This is not true but government has to make emphatic statement that healthcare services are part of the exempt so that people who need medical attention can still get this either at their primary healthcare units or secondary hospitals or at the tertiary levels.

Above all, what is needed is the ability to think dispassionately and respond to the situation on the basis of knowledge, experience and history. There is no short cut to doing a diligent work that is needed to begin to slow down the speed of the spread and flatten the graph to achieve net zero infection quickly.

CITAD Calls for Strengthening of Kano Lockdown

THE Centre for information Technology and Development (CITAD) has called on the Kano State government to reinforce the lockdown order that was imposed on the state six days ago following a sharp increase on the number of persons who tested positive for coronavirus on Monday. The number of covid-19 rose by 23 on Monday taking the total in the state to 59.

CITAD stated that the essence of restriction of movement is to curtail the spread of the virus among people. “Kano, as densely as it is, will not afford to continue recording more cases looking at how fragile our health system is, so the best way to ensure we defeat this virus is by staying at home and complying with all the instructions given by health professionals,” the statement signed by Ali Sabo, Campaigns and Communication Officer, stated.

He provided further reasons why the state government needs to tighten the lockdown when he stated: “Yesterday, Kano state recorded the highest number of new confirmed cases in the country (23) which took the tally of the total number of the confirmed cases in the state to 59. This is a state which less than a week ago didn’t have a single case. This shows how the virus is spreading among people like wildfire such that if adequate measures are not taken the state is going to surpass Abuja which, as of yesterday, had total confirmed cases of 89, despite having its first case more than three weeks.

“Furthermore, CITAD has noticed with total disappointment how people are getting back to their normal lives in some areas of the state especially in the inner-city areas. This is something that should worry every right-thinking person, not only government, looking at how the number of positive cases in the state is increasing on a daily basis.

“It is good to note that even the most developed countries in the world are finding it hard to contain this virus once it got out of hand. In the United States of America alone, more than 42,000 people have lost their lives due to coronavirus with more than 600,000 confirmed cases.

“Also, CITAD has noticed with concern how fake news is spreading in the state about the increase of the number of deaths in the state which has been reported by many online media. This, on our part, is targeted at rendering the stay-at-home order ineffective and to also weaken the spirit of people in the state. While investigations by several individuals and organisations have confirmed that there were deaths, the number being quoted in the media appears to be out of tune with the reality. However, in this context we urge the government to thoroughly investigate the matter and make public its findings to the public.

“Finally, we are calling on the state government to deploy more security personnel not only to major roads and big residential areas in the state but also to every nook and cranny to ensure the total compliance of the order. All football activities in the state must be stopped and anyone found violating the order should be punished.

“This can be achieved by incorporating districts, villages and ward heads and vigilante groups in the monitoring team. The state government, in order to prevent unwarranted rumours that will likely lead to fake news, must ensure that from today every death in the state must be taken for autopsy before burial to ascertain the actual cause of the death.

In addition to this, we call on the state government to publish the list of the exempted items so that members of the public will not claim ignorance.

CITAD Urges Kano Govt to Strengthen the Lockdown as Locals Violate the Order

The Centre for Information and Technology Development, CITAD has called on Kano state government to strengthen the lockdown of the city and 44 Local Government Areas in order to curtail the spread of the coronavirus.

In a statement signed by Ali Sabo the Campaigns and Communication of Centre and made available to Arewa Affairs.

He said ” As the order of stay at home enters day six, the Centre for information Technology and Development continued to monitor the situation in the state, give possible suggestions to the state government on ways and measures that need to put in place to strengthen the order and ensure the total compliance by all people in the state”.

Sabo added that the essence of giving the directive of restricting people movements is to curtail the spread of the virus among people.

” Kano as densely as it is it would not afford to continue recording more cases looking at how fragile our health system is, so the best way to ensure we defeat this virus is by staying at home and complying with all the instructions given by health professionals”.

Yesterday, Kano state recorded the highest number of new confirmed cases in the country (23) which took the tally of the total number of the confirmed cases in the state to 59.

The centre expressed concern over rising number of coronavirus cases in the state.

” This is a state which less a weak ago it didn’t have any single case. This shows how the virus is spreading among people like wildfire which if adequate measures are not taken the state is going to surpass Abuja which as of yesterday has confirmed cases of 89 despite having its first case more than three weeks”.

Furthermore, CITAD has noticed with total disappointment how people are getting back to their normal lives in some areas of the state especially in the inner-city areas.

” This is something that should worry every right-thinking person, not only government looking at how the number of positive cases in the state is increasing on daily basis. It is good to note that even the most developed countries in the world are finding it hard to contain this virus once it got out of hand. In the United State of America alone, more than 42,000 people have lost their lives due to coronavirus with more than 600,000 confirmed cases” the statement further reads .

Also, CITAD has noticed with concern how fake news are going around in the state about the increase of the number of deaths in the state which has been reported by many online media.

According to Sabo ”This in our part is targeted at rendering the stay at home order ineffective and to also weaken the spirit of people in the state. While investigations by several individuals and organizations have confirmed that there were deaths, the number being quoted in the media appears to be out of tune with reality. However, in this context we urge that government thoroughly investigate the matter and make public its findings to the public.

Finally, we are calling on the state government to deploy more security personnel not only to major roads and big residential areas in the state but to every nooks and crannies to ensure the total compliance of the order.

All football activities in the state must be stopped and anyone found violating the order should be punished. This can be achieved by incorporating districts, villages and wards heads and vigilante groups in the monitoring team.

The state government to ensure from today every death in the state must be taken for autopsy before burial to ascertain the cause of the death. The state government to publish the list of the exempted items so that public will not be claiming ignorance”.

CITAD Laments Violation of Stay at Home Order in Kano

As the order of stay at home enters day six, the Centre for information Technology and Development (CITAD) has expressed disappointment over non compliance in Kano state lamenting that the development escalates the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the state. Campaign and communication officer of the centre Ali Sabo in a press statement said they have continued to monitor the situation in the state, give possible suggestions to the state government on ways and measures that need to put in place to strengthen the order and ensure the total compliance by all people in the state. ” As we are all aware, the essence of giving the directive of restricting people movements is to curtail the spread of the virus among people. ” Kano as densely as it is it would not afford to continue recording more cases looking at how fragile our health system is, so the best way to ensure we defeat this virus is by staying at home and complying with all the instructions given by health professionals. ” Yesterday, Kano state recorded the highest number of new confirmed cases in the country (23) which took the tally of the total number of the confirmed cases in the state to 59. ” This is a state which less a weak ago it didn’t have any single case. This shows how the virus is spreading among people like wildfire which if adequate measures are not taken the state is going to surpass Abuja which as of yesterday has confirmed cases of 89 despite having its first case more than three weeks”. He pointed out. He said CITAD has noticed with total disappointment how people are getting back to their normal lives in some areas of the state especially in the inner-city areas. According to him, every right-thinking person, not only government looking at how the number of positive cases in the state is increasing on daily basis should worry. ” It is good to note that even the most developed countries in the world are finding it hard to contain this virus once it got out of hand. In the United State of America alone, more than 42,000 people have lost their lives due to coronavirus with more than 600,000 confirmed cases.”

Press Statement On The Need To Secure Kano Borders By The Centre For Information Technology And Development

Date: April 18, 2020

As the total lockdown in Kano state enters second day, the Centre for Information Technology and Development has continued to monitor the situation in the state; how people are complying with orders and how secure the state borders are. As we all know it is only when every entry and exit point is secured can we defeat this deadly virus that is on the rise everyday and threatening our existence.

 

Yesterday we issued a situation report on the level of compliance of the lockdown directives given by the state government. To our total dismay, many people chose to ignored the directive and continue with their normal activities, including observing of Friday prayers in some mosques despite the threat this virus is posing to us. It should a matter of concern to all sensible persons the rate at which the number of cases being confirmed in the state is increasing on daily basis since the first recorded case. As at yesterday, the State has 27 confirmed cases including the co-chair of the task force committee on Covid19 in the state and one fatality. This is a state in which one week ago, there wasn’t a single active case. The challenge of the state has been compounded by the fact that some members of the State Taskforce have tested positive and therefore now inactive as most of them are in isolation or self-quarantine. This means that effectively there is no leadership to coordinate the efforts of the Government in responding to the challenges of the COVD 19.

 

The essence of imposing lockdown is to stop all movements of people including coming and going out of the state in order to stop the spread of the virus, but most importantly is stop people from entering the state from other states especially the states that are already battling with the disease.

 

However, reports reaching us from our partners and observers in the state indicate that still the state’s borders are so porous with little presence of security personnel which allows people to enter the state from many directions.

 

Despite the lockdown and the earlier order given to stop inter-state movements, travelers are still entering the state through Rano local government using a feeder road from Kwanar Dangora, Gwangwan town then to Rano town. To avoid being noticed, sometimes they follow push paths that link them to the feeder roads to Rano and pass through Rano town. Similarly, the Zakirai-Ringim border which links to Taura, Kafin Hausa, Auyo and Hadejia is also still accessible by motorists with little hindrance. Most of the travelers according to our sources are Okada Riders who are returning from Abuja, Lagos, and Shagamu. These are areas where the virus is already widely spread and the fear is that unless effective measure immediately taken, the importation of the virus will be in the increase and since these are not people will self-isolate, they would become the sources of community infections which is much more difficult to deal with.

 

While we commend the efforts of state government and security personnel and acknowledged the complications of these borders, we maintain that securing the borders is the best way to stop more importation of the virus into the state. It is on this note that we strongly call on the Kano State Government to as matter of urgency to ensure that border patrol is not limited to highway only. Feeder roads, including footpaths around border towns and villages,  should also be included to prevent people from bypassing authorities; adequate measures such as proper monitoring on the state’s borders to stop entering the state from any border are put in place; religious leaders fully comply with government orders and punish anyone found misleading the public. All intercepted travelers should promptly handed to the NCDC for compulsory isolation and quarantine period of two weeks after which these who tested negative can be released to continue their journey to their destination.

 

Ali Sabo

Campaigns and Communication Officer

Press Statement On The Need To Allow Essential Services To Operate During Lockdown In Kano State By The Centre For Information Technology And Development

Issued on 17th of April, 2020

Since the outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus in the world and most especially when Nigeria recorded its first confirmed case of the virus in Lagos, the Centre for Information Technology and Development has been following the incident closely calling the attention of government both at federal and states level to prepare adequate measures and to have a proper plans on how to tackle the virus and what it might come with. At the same time, CITAD has been feeding the general public with information about safety measures and the need to follow the advices given by World Health Organization (W.H.O) which include sharing of infographics on social media and bi-weekly twitter chat with health professionals.

As one of the best way to prevent the spread of coronavirus among people as advised by professionals, any place where there is confirmed case of the virus, total lockdown of the city is usually impose as we have seen in many cities in the world. Similarly, Kano state government on the 14th of April, 2020 after having five confirmed cases in the state announced the total lockdown of the city to begin by 10pm on the 16th of April, 2020. Many people especially those that survive on daily hustle criticized the decision citing example that their lives depend on daily hustle to feed themselves and their family which the state government has not announce any alternative for them despite many calls from concerned citizens to introduce palliatives that will cushion the suffering of this class of people. However, still the decision to lockdown the city is the best the state government can take.

Consequently, as the lockdown began, many people were left stranded including the securities agencies who are saddle with responsibilities to ensure the total compliance of the order due to closing of all activities in the city including essential services. Reports reaching us and testimonies from some of the security agents on duty confirmed that the security personnel on duty are finding it difficult if not impossible to find what they will eat, the water they will drink and other needs as the state government did not announce a clear road map on how the lockdown would be. As we are all aware, all over the world where this kind of order is being imposed some exceptions are being made in order to allow people to access basic needs.

It is on this regard that we are appealing to the Kano state government to:

  1. Design a clear road map on how the lockdown is going to continue in the state
  2. Allow some essentials services like pharmacies, restaurants, water vendors etc. as this will allow even the security agents to access these services while on duty especially food and water
  • Allow bakeries to continue operating in the state
  1. Allow Yan garuwa to continue operating within their areas of resident due to lack of tap water in many of the areas in the city

COVID-19: Govt Has Shown Unparalleled Incompetence – Y.Z. Ya’u

Says Labour has suddenly gone off the radar

THE Executive Director of Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Mallam Yunusa Zakari Ya’u, has lashed out at the federal government for what he described as unparalleled level of incompetence in confronting the challenges of COVID 19.

Mallam YZ, as he is popularly known, made the observation in a comment he posted on his Facebook wall on Thursday, where he equally excoriated organised labour, CSOs and organised private sector for their incoherent and collective inactivity.

CITAD, a non-profit and governmental organisation with headquarters in Kano, has been in the forefront of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic in collaboration with ActionAid International-Nigeria under a joint project, Local Right Program. Through the program, the two NGOs collaborate to conduct, among other activities, surveys and public education campaigns about covid-19 in communities around the Federal Capital Territory.

Mallam YZ said: “There is no point beating a dead horse in this matter. This government has shown an unparalleled level of incompetence in confronting the challenges of COVID 19.

“It has adequate window of grace to do its preparation. Since late January, it could have built and equipped testing, isolation and quarantine centres at all the major international gateways of the country and implement a compulsory quarantine for all coming into the country, the way a number of countries did. It did not and instead, it is responding in an ad hoc manner after the chickens have gone home to roost.

“It could have used the grace period to design and even test-run a palliative system, mobilising ideas in an inclusive way. It did not and instead in the late hour got a few political appointees and bureaucrats to do what they have no idea about.

“How can it be that in an all-important battle to save lives, government will opt for a non-inclusive body to handle this task? The same government that is calling on all (private sector, development partners, individuals) to make contribution but doesn’t want any of these to be part of the management of the resources or even harvest ideas from these on how to use the resources,) Mallam YZ commented.

Mallam YZ further noted that it is sad that the federal government has, in the face of the dangers that COVID 19 presents, rather reduced the fight into “a debate that is cast as a binary option between lockdown and hunger.”

He said against the background of the ample time it had after being forewarned of the outbreak of the pandemic, the federal government ought to “have carried out a massive sensitization campaign to prepare people both psychologically and in terms of understanding that we all have a role to play in curbing the spread of the virus.”

According to him, it is this missed opportunity that has led to the current expression from every part of the country that “it is better to die outside in the hospital than to die in groaning at home to the fangs of hunger.”

A Self-serving Presidential Task Force

Mallam YZ described the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 as self-serving committee concerned only with huge allowances being paid to members on a daily basis.

“The Presidential Taskforce is all but a self-serving committee only interested in the daily sitting allowance they get (reported to be N500,000 per day: give a local community organization in Zuba this amount to mount a community sensitization campaign, it could succeed in getting everyone to be at home, palliative or not),” YZ stated adding that the task force’s messages have fallen flat and are unbelievable because it has not worked to earn public trust and confidence.

“Take as simple as providing electricity free for the citizens under lockdown. The government cannot…reach agreement with the DISCOS. The Presidential Committee does not understand the importance of electricity in the lockdown period. It is not for citizens to have cold water and keep perishable things (which is also important) but that in the lockdown, electricity and data are what people need to stay connected and informed.

Consequences

“What do we see? It is a horrible celebration of anarchy as we gleefully report of armed youth committing arson or robbery staking neighborhood and we say it is paying the government right. The problem is that it is not the government that is paying for the consequences.

“It is our own people as double victims; first of arson and robbery and then second at the hand of COVID 19 when being out and exposed heighten the possibility of contracting the virus. We amplify the messages of anarchy in the mistaken belief that this will force the government to act. The truth is that no anarchy has ever solved any social problem. They cannot accelerate history as in the dawn of the social revolution. They can only disorganize and defocus the revolutionary forces of real social change. A mob cannot be the leadership that is missing across the breath of society in Nigeria.”

Absence of non-state actors

Mallam YZ, in the post, was also critical of civil society organisations and the organised private sector which he said constitute the “wider breadth of leadership centres in the country” for their inability to offer alternative ideas upon realising that the “government is so bereft of ideas in designing and implementing effective palliative measures.”

“How could it be that [we have ] a government [that] is so bereft of ideas in designing and implementing effective palliative measures but there is no forceful presentation and canvassing of an alternative beyond the clap trap of “if you do not do me palliative, I will not do you lockdown?” Mallam YZ asked, while also questioning the lack of voice from the private sector.

He called on the prophets of private sector as the engine of growth, and whose voice have suddenly gone quite to step out and show leadership if they truly want Nigerians to believe “in their worn-out message that the private sector, not the state, is the solution.”

While posing questions on the credibility of the palliative scheme being administered by government, Mallam YZ condemned the composition of the task force managing the palliative scheme, which he described as “a few political appointees and bureaucrats” appointed “to do what they have no idea about.”

He expressed dismay that in an all-important battle to save lives, the government had opted for a non-inclusive body to handle the tasks just as it is uncharitable for the same government which is calling on all stakeholders – private sector, development partners, individuals – to make contribution but turned around to indicate that it doesn’t need any of these stakeholders to be part of the management of the resources or their ideas on how to use the resources.

Step out, NLC

Mallam YZ was equally hard on organised labour describing it as having suddenly disappeared from the radar. While he did not mention any trade union centre in his challenge for organised labour to lead the people, it is believed that he has in mind the Nigeria Labour Congress, which had traditionally led the mass movement in Nigeria since its founding in 1978.

“Labour has suddenly disappeared from the radar, to leave medical and health workers at the frontline of the battle against COVID 19 to negotiate on their own protection and hazards at the service of the nation.” According to Mallam YZ, where government has failed, it becomes necessary for citizens to take the leadership.

“We cannot keep waiting for a government that is incapable of providing an aspiring leadership to lead the way. We must become the saviours of our communities. We have done enough of lamentation. Now is time to end that and think boldly and act swiftly.

“We must understand the key challenges which is curbing the spread of the virus while ensuring people have food to eat under lockdown and provide concrete solutions that can work whether government accepts them or not.

“Let it be known that even without lockdown, millions of Nigerians have been going to bed hungry. Perhaps this should also give us the opportunity to reflect on the type of society we want: do [we] continue to live [in] this increasing inequality, so that we can continue to produce a few Dangotes while millions sleep under the bridge or do we work towards a more just, equitable society where our focus would be to democratize resources to meet the needs of all and seek to banish hunger? Mallam YZ asked rhetorically.

Reinventing Leadership In Times Of Crisis By Y.Z Yau

Perhaps this should also give us the opportunity to reflect on the type of society we want: do we continue to live with this increasing inequality so that we can continue to produce a few Dangotes while millions sleep under the bridge or do we work towards a more just, equitable society where our focus would be to democratise resources to meet the needs of all and seek to banish hunger?

When in the face of the dangers that COVID-19 presents, a country is reduced to a debate that is cast as a binary option between lockdown and hunger, you know that leadership has gone on leave outside of the country. This is not just at the level of government, critical as that is, but also in the wider breath of leadership centres in the country – business, civil society, religious, etc. – no one wants both and the debate how can we banish the reason for both.

How could it be that a government is so bereft of ideas in designing and implementing effective palliative measures but there is no forceful presentation and canvassing of an alternative beyond the clap trap of “if you do not do me palliative, I will not do you lockdown?” How come the mobilisational capacity and the civic agency of the citizenry have all but gone to sleep, left by an ineffectual stirring of few civil society organisations in an ineffective shout of catch phrases of monitoring accountability of the implementation of the palliatives? Are we saying that we agree there is a palliatives scheme which has credibility and potentially effective that we can monitor? Labour has suddenly disappeared in the radar to leave medical and health workers at the frontline of the battle against COVID-19 to negotiate on their own protection and hazards at the service of the nation. The prophets of private sector as the engine of growth have suddenly gone quite: Can they step out and show leadership if they truly want us to believe in their worn-out message that the private sector, not the state, is the solution. Truth is that like leeches, they feast on the public sector they want us to hate, to nourish for their phenomenal profits.

There is no point beating a dead horse in this matter. This government has shown an unparalleled level of incompetence in confronting the challenges of COVID-19. It has adequate window of grace to do its preparation. Since late January, it could have built and equipped testing, isolation and quarantine centres at all the major international gateways of the country and implement a compulsory quarantine for all coming into the county, the way a number of countries did. It did not and instead it is responding in an ad-hoc manner after the chicken gone home to roast. It would have used the grace period to design and even test run a palliative system, mobilizing ideas in an inclusive way. It did not and instead in the late hour got a few political appointees and bureaucrats to do what they have no idea about. How can it be that in an all-important battle of save lives, government will opt for a non-inclusive body to handle this task? The same government that is calling on all (private sector, development partners, individuals) to make contribution but doesn’t want any of these to be part of the management of the resources or even harvest ideas from these on how to use the resources.

It would have carried out a massive sensitization campaign to prepare people both psychologically and in terms of understanding that we all have a role to play in curbing the spread of the virus. It missed this opportunity such that today it is not outlandish to hear people in the streets offering the argument that it is better to die outside in the hospital than to die in groaning at home to the fangs of hunger.

The Presidential Taskforce is all but a self-serving committee only interested in the daily sitting allowance they get (reported to be N500,000 per day: give a local community organization in Zuba this amount to mount a community sensitisation campaign, it could succeed in getting everyone to be at home, palliative or not). Its messages are fall flat and unbelievable because it has not worked to earn public trust and confidence. Take as simple as providing electricity free for the citizens under lockdown. The government cannot fight away to reach agreement with the DisCos. The presidential committee does not understand the importance of electricity in the lockdown period. It is not for citizens to have cold water and keep perishable things (which is also important) but that in the lockdown, electricity and data are what people need to stay connected and informed.

What do we see? It is a horrible celebration of anarchy as we gleefully report of armed youth committing arson or robbery staking neighbourhood and we say it is paying the government right. The problem is that it is not the government that is paying for the consequences. It is our own people as double victims first of arson and rubbery and then second at the hand of COVID-19 when being out, exposed, heighten the possibility of contracting the virus. We amplify the messages of anarchy in the mistaken belief that this will force the government to act. The truth is that no anarchy has ever solved any social problem. They cannot accelerate history as in the dawn of the social revolution. They can only disorganize and defocus the revolutionary forces of real social. A mob cannot be the leadership that is missing across the breath of society in Nigeria.

But where government has failed, it becomes necessary for citizens to take the leadership. We cannot keep waiting for a government that is incapable of providing an aspiring leadership to lead the way. We must become the saviours of our communities. We have done enough of lamentation. Now is time to end that and think boldly and act swiftly. We must understand the key challenges which is curbing the spread of the virus while ensuring people have food to eat under lockdown and provide concrete solutions that can work whether government accepts them or not. Let it be known that even without lockdown, millions of Nigeria have been going to bed hungry.

Perhaps this should also give us the opportunity to reflect on the type of society we want: do we continue to live with this increasing inequality so that we can continue to produce a few Dangotes while millions sleep under the bridge or do we work towards a more just, equitable society where our focus would be to democratise resources to meet the needs of all and seek to banish hunger?

CITAD Suggests Measures to Ensure Successful Lockdown

PRESS STATEMENT ON LOCKDOWN OF KANO STATE

BY

THE CENTRE FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT

Issued on the 17th of April, 2020

In our earlier press statement, we commended the Kano state government for taking the painful but bold step to lockdown the city effective from 10pm, Thursday the 16th of April, 2020. This in our part and as advised by many health professional bodies and organizations including the World Health Organization (W.H.O), is the right decision to take in the interest of all. But we concerned that Kano State is densely populated with majority of its residents dependent on informal jobs which requires them to go out daily to look for what they will eat and feed their family. It was in this regard that in our previous press statement released on the 15th of April, 2020, we called on the state government to state a clear road map on how the lockdown would be and to come up with palliatives programs to cushion the suffering people will enter during the lockdown.

Sadly, we observed that up to the evening of 16th of April, 2020 (the commencement time of the lockdown) the State Government has not announced any palliative for the teeming poor in the State. This has clearly shown that the government has no concern whatsoever the condition people would find themselves during the lockdown. As we are all aware. there is no way you will keep a person in one place for one week without food and expect him to survive. Secondly, the state government has also refused to disclose how it spent the donations given to it by individuals and organizations which shows lack of transparency on the part of the government.

Furthermore, this is a clear fact that unless the government comes up with a clear directive and concrete measures to cushion the hardship, most vulnerable people in the society will find themselves in serious problem which may render the lockdown ineffective.

Finally, we reiterate our stand that the Kano State Government as a matter of public interest and to avoid possible break down of law and order which will defeat the objective of the lockdown to:

i. Come up with a clear and elaborate plan on how to support the vulnerable people in the society which must be an accountable and all-inclusive one
ii. The State Government to inform the public how the donations given by different individuals and organizations have been used
iii. The well to do individuals in the society to support vulnerable groups in their areas at this critical time
iv. The state government to co-opt Civil Society Organizations and other individuals in all the committees for transparency and accountability

Ali Sabo
Campaigns and Communications Officer

19 Communities in FCT Yet to Benefits FG Palliatives

By Sarauniya Usman,Abuja.

Following the extension of lockdown by the federal government for the period of another 14 days,the Centre for Information Technology and Development, CITAD has identified 19 extremely poor communities across FCT that are yet to benefit from the palliative scheme.

The communities are: Abuja Municipal Council (8)– Gwalada, Tungan Ashere, Tungan Nasara, Dakwa, Gofidna, Jiwa, Jiwa Tsoho and Gwalada communities.

Others are Kwali Area Council (4) – Kilankwa, Leleyi Bassa, Leleyi Gwari and Pai communities, Bwari Area Council (4)-Paspa, Kuchibuyi, Igu and Guto communities; kuje Area Council (3) Gaube, Kayache and Tukpheci Communities

CITAD in collaboration with ActionAid Nigeria are currently working with these 19 communities under the Local Rights Programmes.

“Our recent activities include awareness campaign and public sensitisation on COVID19 pandemic”.

The organisation, is calling on the Honorable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq to investigate the situation of these vulnerable Communities and for their immediate inclusion in the distribution of the palliatives.

CITAD also recommends that Civil Societies be involved as partners in responding to the ongoing COVID19 pandemic because of their wide reach and sense of accountability to ensure that desired results are achieved for this humanitarian intervention.

It would be recalled that on Sunday, 29th March 2020, The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria declared a lockdown across 2 States of the Nation and Federal Capital Territory for a period of 14 days. This was subsequently extension by another 14 days.

Upon the declaration of the initial lockdown, the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq confirmed the setup of a palliative scheme for over 11m households across the States and the FCT.

Only Two FCT Communities Have Received FG Palliatives So Far, Says Action Aid & CITAD

Only two communities have so far benefitted from the Federal Government of Nigeria’s palliatives regime, investigation has shown. A survey by two NGOs – the Centre for Information Technology and Development, (CITAD) and Action Aid Nigeria, (AAIN) discovered that 17 out of 19 communities in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) have not got anything as palliatives.

This throws a new dimension to controversies surrounding FG’s management of COVID-19 in Nigeria given that the FCT where this particular discovery is coming from is the seat of the federal authority and the principle of proximity would have been expected to guarantee it as the best theatre in efficient handling of palliatives. Until newer and contrary information emerge from the Government, that does not appear to be so.

It would be shocking if there were no controversies about managing the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, given the relative diversity of the country. The question, however, is whether the kinds of controversies so far are good or bad ones, irrespective of the morality meaning of words such as good and bad.

In this case, the two NGOs which said they have been working in 19 communities of the FCT under their Local Right Program showed through a survey, using public information centres they set up in the 19 communities, only two communities, Paspa in Bwari Area Council and Gaube in Kuje Area Council have received any form of support.

The other communities that are yet to receive any support include Gwalada, Jiwa, Jiwa Tsoho, Gofidna, Tungan Ashere, Tugan Nasara and Dakwa in Abuja Municipal Council and then Kilankwa, LeleyiBasssa, LeleyiGwari and Pai, all in Kwali Area Council. The last set comprises Kayache and Tukpheci in Kuje Area Council; Kuchibuyi, Igu and  Guto in Bwari Area Council.

“While we note that beneficiaries are predetermined as they are people already enrolled in the conditional cash transfer of the National Cash Transfer Office, it will be curious if there are no enrollees in these communities”, the NGOs said in a summary view of the report and are calling on the Government to look into the situation. They argue that, like any other part of the country, these communities do have extremely poor families.

Transparency is not escaping their attention too as they are equally drawing the ears of the FG to ensuring a transparent and accountable process that will ensure benefits do reach the real or intended beneficiaries. This is implied to be much easier if the Government works with civil society organisations as partners in responding to the crisis “as a situation like the one we are now is better addressed through a multi stakeholder process”.

This brings to three, the key controversies that have dodged the COVID-19 crisis in Nigeria, so far, most of it directed at the Federal Government of Nigeria which is animates nationhood in a moment of tension such as this. One of it is the nature of lockdown that might have been more sensitive and better managed. The second would be the question of innovative thinking in terms of a ‘magical’ point of departure in responding to the situation. The third is the nature of palliatives as well as the honest administration of even what exists.

The FG’s palliatives regime comes under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development which administers a palliative scheme to support vulnerable communities.

17 Communities Of FCT Not Beneficiaries Of The Palliatives Distributed By The Government – CITAD REPORT

The Centre for Information Technology and Development observes that in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, there was a directive from the Federal Government for a total lockdown of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

To this effect the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development set up a palliative scheme to support vulnerable communities.

The Centre for Information Technology and Development in collaboration with Action Aid Nigeria have been working in 19 communities of the FCT under their Local Right Program. Recent activities conducted by these organizations include public education campaign about COVID 19 in these 19 communities.

Using the public information centres the two organizations set in the 19 communities, we conducted a survey to assess where these communities have benefited from the provision of palliatives by the Government. From the survey, only two communities, PASPA, in Bwari Area Council and GAUBE in Kuje Area Council has received any form of support.

The other communities that are yet to receive any support include Gwalada, Jiwa, Jiwa tsoho, Gofidna, Tungan Ashere, TuganNasara, and Dakwa in Abuja Municipal Council; Kilankwa, LeleyiBasssa, LeleyiGwari, Pai in Kwali Area Council; Kayache and Tukpheci in Kuje Area Council; Kuchibuyi, Igu and  Guto, in Bwari Area Council.

While we note that beneficiaries are predetermined as they are people already enrolled in the conditional cash transfer of the National Cash Transfer Office, it will be curious if there are no enrollees in these communities. We call the Government to look into this situation of these vulnerable groups in these communities as we believe that like any other part of the country, these communities do have extremely poor families. We further call on government to ensure a transparent and accountable process that will ensure benefit does reach to the real intended beneficiaries. Finally, we also call on the Government to work with civil society organisations as partners in responding to the crisis as situation like the one we are now is better addressed through a multistakeholder process.

Ms. Salma Abdulwaheed
Head of Office
CITAD, Abuja

Coronavirus: Only 2 Out of 19 FCT Communities Got Palliative – CITAD, ActionAid

A survey conducted by ActionAid Nigeria and Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has revealed that only two out of the 19 poor and vulnerable communities have so far benefited from the government palliative to reduce the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on them. The revelation is contained in a statement by the two non-profit, non-government organisations published in Abuja on Tuesday.

They survey was part of a collaborative work between CITAD and ActionAid under their Local Right Program to conduct, among other activities, public education campaigns about covid-19 in communities around FCT.

According to Ms. Salma Abdulwaheed, CITAD’s head of Abuja Office who signed the statement, the two organisations noted that their findings were based on a survey carried out to identify communities that have benefited from the provision of palliatives by the government.

The survey discovered that only two communities received any form of support. The two communities include Paspa in Bwari Area Council and Gaube in Kuje Area Council.

The findings, she said, came from the public information centres set up by ActionAid and CITAD in communities around the FCT.

The other communities that are yet to receive any support include Gwalada, Jiwa, Jiwa tsoho, Gofidna, Tungan Ashere, TuganNasara, and Dakwa in Abuja Municipal Council.

Others include Kilankwa, LeleyiBasssa, LeleyiGwari, Pai in Kwali Area Council; Kayache and Tukpheci in Kuje Area Council; Kuchibuyi, Igu and Guto, in Bwari Area Council.

“While we note that beneficiaries are predetermined as they are people already enrolled in the conditional cash transfer of the National Cash Transfer Office, it will be curious if there are no enrolees in these communities.

“We call the Government to look into the situation of these vulnerable groups in these communities as we believe that like any other part of the country, these communities do have extremely poor families.

“We further call on government to ensure a transparent and accountable process that will ensure that benefits reach the real intended beneficiaries.

“Finally, we also call on the Government to work with civil society organisations as partners in responding to the crisis as a situations like the one we are in now is better addressed through a multi-stakeholder process,” the organisations counselled.

The palliatives were part of government’s response to the covid-19 outbreak by a total lockdown in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and Ogun states.

To cushion the impact of the lockdown on poor and vulnerable communities, President Buhari in a nationwide broadcast directed the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to set up and implement a palliative scheme for targeted poor and vulnerable communities.

NGOs Identify Several Communities in FCT Yet to Benefits from FG’s Palliative

BY GLORIA USMAN, ABUJA – Upon the extension of lockdown by the Federal Government for additional period of 14 days, the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), has identified 19 extremely poor communities across FCT that are yet to benefit from the palliative scheme.

At the moment, CITAD in collaboration with ActionAid Nigeria are currently working with the 19 communities under the Local Rights Programmes.

The communities and their locations according to CITAD include eight in the Abuja Municipal Council namely Gwalada, Tungan Ashere, Tungan Nasara, Dakwa, Gofidna, Jiwa, Jiwa Tsoho and Gwalada.

Similarly, Kwali Area Council has four that include Kilankwa, Leleyi Bassa, Leleyi Gwari and Pai while four were identified in Bwari Area Council that include Paspa, Kuchibuyi, Igu and Guto just as Kuje Area Council has three communities that include Gaube, Kayache and Tukpheci.

CITAD and ActionAid Nigeria said that their recent activities include awareness campaign and public sensitization on COVID19 pandemic.

The organisations therefore called on the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq to investigate the situation of the vulnerable Communities and for their immediate inclusion in the distribution of the palliatives.

CITAD also recommended for Civil Societies to be involved as partners in responding to the ongoing COVID19 pandemic owing to their wide reach and sense of accountability to ensure that the desired results are achieved for the humanitarian intervention.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Sunday, March 29, 2020, declared a lockdown in Lagos and Ogun States as well as the Federal Capital Territory for an initial 14 days which was extended for another 14 days on Tuesday, April 13, 2020 through a Presidential proclamation.

However, upon the declaration of the initial lockdown, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq announced the setting up of a palliative scheme for over 11million households across the states of the federation and the FCT.