As a replica of the state government's plan in establishing COVID-19 Marshals, governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state has urged students of higher institutions in the state, to form similar Marshals, on voluntary basis in their respective institutions of learning.
He made the call at Stakeholders Sensitisation Meeting on COVID-19, with students leaders from all tertiary institutions in the state, held at Africa House, Government House, Kano, Saturday, a part of the series of meetings arranged for different stakeholders, as part of the process in curbing the second wave of the pandemic.
Describing them as critical stakeholders, he said "For us to effectively fight this pandemic of the COVID-19, it is absolutely necessary for us to include you from the scratch. Your participation means alot in fighting the virus."
For the second wave, he disclosed, "We decided to take many measures. So that we can be able to maximize impact from all angles. We consider strategies like sensitisation, as we are in now, among many others. We use this to provide our people with the technical explanation about the pandemic."
While urging them to go back to their respective schools and educate other students on the devastating effect of the second wave, with all its protocols, he
added, "We urge you to also go back and form Students Voluntary Marshals Against COVID-19 in your respective schools. I am extremely delighted that you all promised to take this fight head on."
After thanking them for being peace loving students on their campuses, he warned them against drug abuse. Reminding them that, drug abuse in whatever guise would not be tolerated by government, appreciating that, "Though we are lucky that, cultism is very minimal, if not absent, on our campuses, this issue of drug abuse must be taken very seriously."
Some of the speakers from the students' bodies, urged the governor to review their scholarship disbursements upward and requested him to also get across to landlords of the houses accommodating students on rental basis, across the state.
He accepts all requests promising that, "Due to COVID-19 pandemic, with its attending difficulties brought to the society, and to also cushion that effect, in the rented residences accommodating students, we will look for the major owners of such residences to talk to them to reduce their rents so that our students can have some relief."
In scholarship disbursements, governor Ganduje said, "As you are all aware how we take your studies seriously, I am assuring you that, your scholarship will be reviewed upward. This, will also cushion the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and inflationary trend."
Governor gave them One Hundred Thousand face masks, which they would take to their respective schools, adding that, "...not only you, we also gave face masks to heads of your institutions. We had a meeting with them two days a go. Make sure that you also call the attention of your school mates on complying with the COVID-19 protocol."
Abba Anwar
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Kano State
