A coalition of twenty-five civil society organisations in Kano State has petitioned the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Labaran Yusuf, over the engagement of a civil society group in the ongoing GAVI-funded polio intervention programme in the state.
The petitioners accused the government of engaging the Centre for Gender and Social Inclusion (CAGSI), led by Maryam Garba Usman, under the Solina GAVI Grant Polio Programme, describing the organisation as “anti-government” and a persistent critic of state policies and programmes.
In a petition dated May 12, 2026, and addressed to the Ministry of Health, the coalition raised concerns over what it described as issues of “integrity, transparency, and non-partisan character” in the implementation of donor-supported health interventions.
Copies of the petition were also sent to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Secretary to the State Government, Farouk Umar Ibrahim, the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, and the Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission.
According to the petition signed on behalf of the coalition, the engagement of the organisation “has generated questions among stakeholders about the impartiality and professional neutrality required of all organisations and individuals involved in government-supported and donor-funded health programmes.”
The petitioners stressed that the GAVI-funded polio programme must strictly comply with the professional and ethical standards expected of international health interventions.
“The selection of programme personnel must be guided exclusively by professional neutrality, independence from partisan politics, competence, institutional credibility, and a demonstrable commitment to the public interest,” the petition read in part.
They warned that public health interventions, particularly polio eradication efforts in northern Nigeria, depend heavily on public trust and community confidence.
“When questions arise about whether programme personnel are truly neutral, professional, and committed to public health objectives rather than any other agenda, such concerns have the potential to erode the community trust upon which effective health programme delivery depends,” the coalition stated.
The groups therefore called on the Ministry of Health and the Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board to conduct “a thorough review of the engagement process for all personnel involved in the Solina GAVI Grant Programme.”
They urged authorities to ensure that only organisations and individuals “that are genuinely neutral and demonstrably committed to the programme’s public health objectives” participate in its implementation.
The petition further emphasised that transparency, accountability, and fairness must guide the administration of donor-funded health interventions, noting that the integrity of such programmes is “a matter of public interest that extends beyond any single engagement decision.”
The coalition expressed confidence that the health commissioner and relevant authorities would give the matter urgent attention, adding that “the integrity of the GAVI-funded polio programme and the public trust it depends upon are too important to be compromised.”
When contacted, representatives of the petitioners alleged that CAGSI had previously participated in activities that publicly criticised programmes and initiatives of the Kano State Government.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Kano State Ministry of Health nor the Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board had issued an official response to the petition.
