The Northern Governors’ Forum has insisted that the Almajiri system in the region be banned.

The governors stated this on Tuesday while discussing the region’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The meeting, which was the second of its kind, was presided over by its Chairman, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State and convened via teleconferencing with 17 participating governors.

According to Lalong’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Macham Makut, the governors discussed COVID-19 test centres within the region and noted some improvement but insisted that all states in the region should have at least one centre in order to make the detection of the disease and its management easier and faster.

The statement read in part, “On border control and lockdown measures, the governors retained their earlier decision for each state to decide on the measure to adopt but reaffirmed the need for border closure to stop the inter-state spread of the disease in the region.

“The governors also discussed the risk that Almajiri children are exposed to due to the virus and they unanimously decided to ban the Almajiri system and evacuate the children to their parents or states of origin.

“They vowed never to allow the system to persist any longer because of the social challenges associated with it including the perpetuation of poverty, illiteracy, insecurity and social disorder.”

The statement also said the governors engaged the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Muhammed Sabo Nanono, on COVID-19 incentives available to farmers in the country and how those in the region can benefit from the palliatives.