Nigerians defend NCDC, blame Ganduje, citizens for Kano Coronavirus woes

 

BY OUR EDITOR

Attempt by some individuals to hang the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the federal government agency leading the battle against coronavirus in the country, over poor management of issues around the disease in Kano State, has boomeranged.

For most part of Thursday, Twitter Nigeria was agog with a trending hashtag, #NCDCFailedKano, aimed at blaming the NCDC for the burgeoning numbers of confirmed coronavirus cases coming out of Kano State.

But discerning Nigerians on Twitter begged to demur. In their numbers, they literally heaped the blame on the corridors of power and the streets of Kano State, indicting the governor and citizens of the state who they said failed to heed warnings and instructions from NCDC and federal health authorities, about the reality of the COVID-19 disease.

Perhaps the greatest mistake of the architects of the #NCDCFailedKano campaign was trying to read political meaning into the national response to the deadly virus, when they embarked on ignorant comparison between the population of Lagos and Kano.

The hashtag suffered huge backlash when obviously irritated contributors to the campaign started unleashing videos and still pictures of scenes said to be out of Kano and some other parts of Nigeria, making a mockery of the Social Distancing, staying at home and washing of hands safety measures aimed at combating the virus which is said to have no cure yet and as at date has claimed 28 Nigerian lives.

READ: Harder days ahead as Nigeria’s COVID-19 cases rise, total lockdown looms

Kano, officially, has 73 confirmed cases of coronavirus, out of which 72 are active cases and one death. But there have been controversies over ‘hundreds’ of reported deaths and alleged over flowing of the cemeteries with human remains.

Currently, testing of samples for the coronavirus disease has been suspended at the only laboratory serving the over 13 million Kano citizens, according to reports for lacking some basic needs. Kano has just one laboratory and that is the crux of the issue in the hashtag, #NCDCFailedKano.

“I started this #NCDCFailedKano hashtag to charge those responsible in govt and @NCDCgov to do the needy (needful) in setting up test centers and equipping the state to fight this #COVID19 pandemic. Alhamdulillah a response is coming from the relevant authorities, we’ll keep advocating,” tweeted one Engr Yasir Arafat Jubril from the handle, @oil_shaeikh.

Jubril’s position resonated with another contributor, who gave his name simply as Sarki, with the handle @Waspapping_.

“How can a whole kano state be having 1 test center and Lagos almost 20?? Are the lives in kano of little value to you guys? Sarki fumed, adding, “@NCDCgov whichever way you look at it it’s simply unfair and acceptable (unacceptable) and you must change that #NCDCFailedKano.

“Kano state having only 1 test center while Lagos is having close to 20 is unacceptable @NCDCgov has not only failed Kano, they’re treating covid19 in the north with less seriousness thereby putting our whole lives at risk. Arewa twitter, we must speak #NCDCFailedKano.”

Sarki’s outburst was probably what those sympathetic to NCDC needed to turn them on and they poured out in torrents.

Young Otutu, tweeting as @YoungOtutu wrote: “Lagos has: — 3 test centres, — 20 sample collection centres — All Built by the Lagos state govt. — 1 governor & 17.5m people. Kano has: — 1 test centre — 1 governor & 13.5m people. NCDC didn’t fail kano state. Kano state failed Kano, Ganduje failed Kano.”

From BA @mimee803 came this: “Look at this one when @jidesanwoolu was running around, your governor was busy reopening mosques for Friday prayers….Your governor failed you first not NCDC…you can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped!”

The ‘Revolutionary Seeker (WAEC)’ who tweeted from @The_Seeker76 did not spare a thought. He snapped: “So you myopic religious fanatics believe #NCDCFailedKano /Arewa and not your governors, who chose to allow public & religious activities continue normally? You lost your voice when your illiterate bros were drinking ablution water, protesting against lockdown & denying Covid19?”

The above tweet was further accentuated by the tweet from AyeMojubar writing from the handle @ayemojubar, with a video to go with it. She said: “When those id…. were drinking their “holy” water and Kano-made COVID vaccines, Arewa Twitter didn’t see anything wrong. Now that #COVIDー19 they denied is killing them softly, they are vomiting #NCDCFailedKano. The sense you asked for his here in full.” (See video below)

When those idiots were drinking their "holy" water and Kano-made COVID vaccines, Arewa Twitter didn't see anything wrong.

Now that #COVIDー19 they denied is killing them softly, they are vomiting #NCDCFailedKano.

The sense you asked for his here in full.pic.twitter.com/TnJz5wpK2p

— Ayemojubar (@ayemojubar) April 23, 2020

Muhammad M Abba contributing from @Muhammad_M_Abba was more level-headed. He wrote: “If Lagos can provide for itself more than 10 test centers without the intervention of federal government. Then Ganduje has to account for where the donated funds (have) gone to without building any additional test centers in Kano state.”

Obinna Nwosu, writing from @obi_Nwosu, offered a less caustic advise in his contribution: “Lagos has 20 testing centres while Kano has just 1. The Lagos state govt has been more proactive than any other state in Nigeria. Stop trending #NCDCFailedKano. The honest trend should be #KanoStateGovernmentFailedKano and #FGFailedKano.”

However, the #NCDCFailedKano did not go without recognition. It got the attention of the authorities, especially the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and Nigeria’s Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

According to the SGF: “The situation in Kano is being assessed and monitored closely. Based on preliminary findings, the PTF has directed the NCDC to send an enhanced support team, mobilize resources for contact tracing and immediately ensure that necessary steps are taken in conjunction with State Government to contain the spread of the pandemic in Kano and stop the city from becoming the next epicentre.”