Kano Imams wary of Ganduje’s utterance on COVID-19 vaccines

Kano State governor Abdullahi Ganduje has said all Imams, Deputy Imams and Muazzims (those calling prayers) who receive monthly ‘alerts’ from the government will have to receive the COVID-19 vaccines.

Daily Trust gathered that the governor made the assertion during a meeting with the religious leaders.

• Gunmen kill 31 as Buhari tasks service chiefs to be proactive
• Kano approves N8.9bn for proposed Buhari interchange

The governor said as long as the Imams cannot say they have stopped receiving the monthly allowance, the government will not forget them as well when it comes to the vaccination.

The governor’s assertions may not be unconnected to the roles of the religious leaders who are opinion leaders that can check resistance from the populace against the vaccinations.

But, several religious leaders have shown reservations to the directives.

A Chief Imam of one of the mosques in the metropolitan area, who spoke anonymously, said: “We told the governor during our meeting over the vaccines that people are apprehensive over the vaccine, especially Kano that had issues in the past with Pfizer’s polio vaccine.

“I can tell you over 85 percent of Imams are not in support of the vaccinations,” he said.