Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has directed the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), District Head and Chairman of Bunkure local government area in the state, to bring before him at least 20 adult males from Kokotawa ward in Kulluwa village, whose community members resisted Polio immunization.
He warned that government would not condone revolt or threats from any community in the course of executing policies and programmes that would improve the wellbeing of the citizenry
Giving the directive during the flag-off of February Second Round Immunization at Bunkure town on Sunday, Dr. Ganduje warned that present administration would reprimand anyone who attempts to obstruct public services.
The governor noted that community health programmes are very important to the socio-economic progress of the nation, pointing out that it is a great mistake for any parent to shun primary healthcare initiatives aimed to eradicating the Polio virus from the country.
“Parents, especially the mothers are the first people to bear the burden of deformed children if their wards were to be infected with the polio virus”, cautioning that Kokotwa community members must change their minds and embrace the immunization programme in their own interest.
Dr. Ganduje urged people of the state to cooperate with the authorities to achieve a free Polio country by 2017 through adherence to monthly rounds of immunization, pointing out that the fact that no single case of the disease was reported in the last 19 months does not mean the state government should rest on its oars n the anti-Polio campaign.
The Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammad Sanusi II, represented by District Head of Ajingi, Alh. Wada Aliyu warned that any community leader that failed to make ensure his people comply with immunization would be punished by the Emirate Council, adding that all the district, village and ward heads in Kano have been directed by the Emir to support the programme 100 percent.
In his speech, the state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim Getso said last month’s immunization programme was very impressive, pointing out that all the 44 local government areas scored excellent according to the Immunization Chat of January.
Dr. Getso however lamented that despite this achievement, in Bunkure local government area, eight cases of non-compliance were recorded with three at Bunkure town and five at Chirin village.
The District Head of Bunkure, Barayan Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Isa Umaru told the governor that people of Kokotawa resisted the immunization over alleged blockage of a route leading to their domain, urging the government to intervene in the matter to avert crisis.