Kaduna bans motorcycles, tricycles, taxis

• Shehu Sani distributes food, PPE to prisoners, others
• Journalists urge Ishaku to close worship centres
• Nasarawa private poly shut

Kaduna State Government has banned motorcycles, tricycles and taxis operating in the state because they do not satisfy the conditions for social distancing.

In a state broadcast on Wednesday, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, said the decision was taken after senior government officials met to review the level of compliance to measures taken to contain the spread of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).

According to Balarabe, commercial buses are allowed to operate for now, but must comply with the new rule of carrying no more than two passengers per row.

The government is ready to suspend all forms of pubic transportation if circumstances compel it, she said, recalling that the state government had requested the appropriate authorities to stop rail services to help curtail the spread of COVID-19.

She added that payment of March 2020 salaries had commenced, but advised everyone to be financially prudent, given the tough times that lie ahead.

As part of efforts to contain the dreaded COVID-19 in Kaduna State, Senator Shehu Sani, who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th National Assembly, has donated food, facemasks and hand sanitisers to inmates of Kaduna Correctional Centre and journalists in the state.

Sani, who also made a similar donation to Bishara Baptist Church and a mosque in Rigasa Community, said he decided to move from talking to action to help in the prevention of the killer disease.

Meanwhile, participants at the recent media workshop in Taraba State have asked Governor Darius Ishaku to shut down worship centres in the state to halt the spread of the disease.

Citing the way the governor was attending religious activities despite his earlier broadcast for the people to maintain social distance, the journalists felt sad that worship centres in the state were still playing host to large congregations.

The participants, drawn from both the print and electronic media, observed that the over three million residents of the state were at risk, as no proactive measure had been put in place by government against the disease in the state.

The management of Nacabs Polytechnic, Akwanga, Nasarawa State, has shut the institution.

The proprietor, David Abuluya, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Akwanga on Wednesday that the closure of the school followed a letter he received from the Federal Ministry of Education through the National Board for Technical Education (NTBE).

He said, “I have received my letter from the Federal Ministry of Education through our regulatory body, NBTE, directing us to close our school over COVID-19.

“I closed down my school on Monday, March 23, 2020 after addressing the students and staff, to protect the students and staff from the Coronavirus.”