COVID 19: Reps move to halt evacuation of Almajirai

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives on Tuesday asked the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 to enforce the inter-state travel ban order and direct the Governors concerned to immediately halt the evacuation of the Almajirai.
It is equally urged the NCDC to counsel the Governors concerned on the threat posed by the evacuation of the children at this critical period, urging the Federal Ministry of Health to examine the Health condition of the Almajiri Children.
The House also Urged the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management to include the Almajiri children among the beneficiaries of palliatives being distributed by the Federal Government to the less privileged.
It’s also called on the Northern Governors Forum to rescind their decision on Banning Almajiri SYStem of Education until those already in the system are prOVided for in the Universal Basic and Technical Education System.
The House resolutions followed the adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Aishatu Jibril Dukku . Representing Dukku/Nafada Federal Constituency, Gombe State and Co-sponsor Hon. Dr. Shehu Balarabe Kakale, Representing Bodinga/Dange-Shuni/Tureta Federal Constituency, Sokoto State.
Moving the motion tittled urgent need to look into the evacuation of Almajirai amidstbthe Coronavirus Pandemic, Dukku recalled that Governors under the aegis of Northern Governors Forum had on Tuesday 21St April, 2020 issued a statement where they unanimously decided to ban the Almajiri system of education and evacuate the children back to their parents or states of origin;
“Also recalls that the statement hinges on the risk that the children are exposed to due to the Corona Virus Pandemic;
“Notes that about 10 million children attend the Almajiri Schools in Northern Nigeria with over 500,000 Almajirai living in the state of Kano alone, where majority of the children are being evacuated from;
“Worried that the evacuation of the Aimajirai is jeopardizing the fight against Covid-19 due to the high level of movement of the children from different places and its attendant high risk of infection;
“Concerned that the evacuation of the children is against their fundamental human rights of residing anywhere in Nigeria as guaranteed in Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic Nigeria.