A comparison of the way Lagos and Kano governments have responded to the Coronavirus pandemic is the subject of a raging debate on Twitter, SaharaReporters has gathered.
Nigerians have disagreed on the way the government was responding to the testing needs of both states.
Kano and Lagos are Nigeria’s most populated states.
Using the hashtag #NCDCFailedKano, some residents of Kano took to the social media platform to claim that the Nigeria Center for Disease Control had failed Kano State in containing the spread of the virus by favouring Lagos more than the Northern state.
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control is Nigeria’s leading national public health institute under the Federal Ministry of Health and the agency is currently headed by Chikwe Ihekweazu.
Currently, Lagos has 504 confirmed COVID-19 cases while Kano has 73 cases.
The Kano residents claimed it was unfair for Lagos with a similar population with Kano to have more testing centres.
“Here in Kano, we need more testing centre even more than Lagos; imagine a state with 13.5 million people having only one testing centre and Lagos having 20 million, this is not right.
“So am saying #NCDCFailedKano,” a Kano resident identified as Naseer tweeted on Wednesday.
In here kano we needs more testing center even more than Lagos ,imagine a state with 13.5 millions people having only one testing center and Lagos having 20 this is absolutely not right so am saying #NCDCFailedKano
— bn naseer ðð (@Dadymakoda3) April 23, 2020
Another resident of the city identified as Sarki, tweeted, “Kano State having only one test centre while Lagos has close to 20 is unacceptable.
“@NCDCgov has not only failed Kano, they’re treating COVID-19 in the North with less seriousness, thereby putting our whole lives at risk.”
Kano state having only 1 test center while Lagos is having close to 20 is unacceptable@NCDCgov has not only failed Kano, theyâre treating covid19 in the north with less seriousness thereby putting our whole lives at risk
Arewa twitter We must speak #NCDCFailedKano
— Sarki. (@Waspapping_) April 23, 2020
Other Nigerians have since reacted to the claims. In response to the accusation, a Nigerian identified as Etubo, wrote on Twitter, “Northerners are not holding the Kano State governor accountable for not building enough isolation and testing centres, they are blaming NCDC and trending #NCDCFailedKano. What should we call this?”
Northerners are not holding the Kano state governor accountable for not building enough isolation and testing centers, they are blaming NCDC and trending #NCDCFailedKano.
What should we call this?
— Legendary Soul (@IamEtubo) April 23, 2020
Another Nigerian faulted the claims by the Kano residents, describing it as laughable and unnecessary.
Onyedikachukwu Anambra said, “Kano had time to observe and prepare by observing Lagos. They didn’t.
“They felt religious obligations superseded that of public health safety concerns. Now they resorted to blackmail and shift blame to NCDC. Gandollar failed Kano and not #NCDCFailedKano.”
Kano had time to observe and prepare by observing Lagos. They didn’t. They felt religious obligations supersede that of public health safety concerns.
Now they resorted to blackmail and shift blame to NCDC.
Gandollar failed Kano and not #NCDCFailedKano— ONYEDIKACHUKWU ANAMBRA (@governmentson) April 23, 2020
A user of the popular platform named Enyene while reacting to the debate, said, “NCDC didn’t fail Kano State. Kano State failed itself.
“When Lagos State governor was busy building isolation and test centres, what was Governor Ganduje doing?”
NCDC didn’t fail Kano state. Kano state failed itself.
When Lagos state governor was busy building isolation and test centres, what was Ganduje doing?Maybe, he was busy loading bundles of dollars into his babaringa. #NCDCFailedKano
— EnyEnE | #EndSars (@iamEnyene) April 23, 2020
