From Mustapha Adamu, Kano
Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has threatened to punish local government areas with poor performance in polio immunization in the state.
The threat came as the state is set to award the best local government area that excelled on polio immunization programme.
This is contained in a statement issued Sunday by Hassan Musa Fagge, Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor of the state.
The statement said, Ganduje who presided over the task force meeting on polio immunization held at Kano Government House, noted that some of these local government areas are not having good representation at the evening review meetings, usually conducted during the exercise.
“ Apart from weak participation of local government representatives during the evening review meetings, it is, however, clear that some of them do not release their counterpart funding and that hinders the smooth conduct of the programme,” Ganduje, represented by his deputy, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna was quoted as saying in the statement.
“ It has been observed that the increasing influx of migrants/Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) due to security challenges in neighbouring states is yet another problem we are facing which also needs to be addressed, “ he explained.
The governor maintained that “to avert these and other challenges undermining the success of the exercise, Kano State Government would continue to intensify effort in taking all the necessary measures that prevent the spread of polio disease in the state.
“We are fully aware on how the disease is spread through movement of people from one state to another and this is one of the reasons why some areas become victims of polio and that must be prevented, “ he noted.
He further disclosed with appreciation that based on the previous record of the state’s polio immunization exercise, Kano emerged as one of the best in terms of enlightenment campaign and establishment of health camp in the country.
Ganduje said, “ it is in view of this development, I would like to call on the local government chairmen and our district heads to despite of their tight schedules, to rededicate themselves and ensure that they attend the daily evening review meeting. “
Governor Ganduje also pledged his administration’s commitment to provide adequate logistics support for the fight against polio disease in the state.
While calling on parents to give maximum cooperation to the health personnel during the next round exercise, Ganduje expressed his delight on how the programme is receiving the needed attention from rural and urban areas.
Earlier, the state Commissioner of Health, Dr Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa thanked the state governor for his commitment towards ensuring good result of the exercise.
He said that” His Excellency Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje provides all the financial support needed whenever the programme comes and this makes Kano to get best record on polio immunization .”
Tsanyawa further thanked the traditional rulers, parents and other stakeholders in the state for putting heads together to ensure success of the immunization exercise.
