Barely 17 days after it said it would permit churches and mosques to re-open for worship, the Ekiti State government had a re-think and, on Friday, announced that it has suspended the decision.
Governor Kayode Fayemi, on July 1, had ordered that, from July 17, places of worship of worship be opened once a week; on Friday for Juma’at prayers and on Sunday for worship services, seeing as they have been shut since March.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, the government said the suspension of the reopening was consequent upon review of the preparedness of religious bodies to comply with stipulated conditions.
“The latest communique of CAN is indicative of the fact that worship centres are not yet ready to comply with conditions stipulated as guidelines and conditions set out by the government for reopening of worship centres.
“In view of the foregoing, the state government has shifted the date for the reopening of worship centres to August 14, 2020 to give the worship centres enough time to meet the prescribed conditions for the reopening.”
Yaya-Kolade said though fumigation of religious centres remains a prerequisite for reopening, it should not be done in contravention of the Ekiti State Environmental Health and Sanitation Law.
She stated that those within ages of 1 and 12 and 65 and above are also exempted from attending any congregational programme in any religious centre because of their vulnerability.
“The churches are permitted to hold their programmes once in a week and should last for just two hours.”
