By MURTALA ADEWALE, Kano

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Saturday announced the relaxation of the presidential lockdown for two days in Kano.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday ordered a total lockdown in Kano for 14 days as part of measures to curtail the spread of coronavirus pandemic in the state.

Ganduje who disclosed this at press briefing at government house said the lockdown will be unlocked for six hours between 10am and 4pm on Monday 4th and Thursday 7th May, 2020.

The governor however ordered the compulsory use of face mask for commuters going out on those two days.

Ganduje explained that the decision to relax the lockdown was taken in consultation with the federal government to ease the hardship residents have compelled to face.

He also warned traders against inflating prices of commodities, reminded that the state anti-corruption agency is on track to confiscate goods and persons found taken undue advantage of the window of opportunity.

The governor said the upsurge in the positive cases of COVID -19 was unconnected with the availability of two functioning testing centre in Kano.

He disclosed Aliko Dangote has promised to provide Mobile Test Centres with capacity to test 400 samples per day in Kano.

Earlier, the Chairman state Taskforce on COVID-19 and Deputy Governor, Nasiru Yusuf Gawna had disclosed the conversion of four state owned facilities to isolation centres to accommodate increasing number of positive cases in Kano.

Those facilities including Kano state Library, State Hospitality Institute, Karfi Sport Institute and Abubakar Imam Centre, with over 580 bed capacity. (The Guardian)

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