• Friday, March 29, 2024
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BusinessDay

Covid-19: Why churches, mosques can’t reopen in FCT – Bello

Muhammad Bello

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammad Bello, has explained that places of worship cannot  re-open in the Territory based on the advice from medical experts and guidelines from the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 which had directed that all measures, including the restriction on religious gatherings  approved two weeks earlier be extended for another two weeks.

Bello  explained this at a meeting between the FCTA and representatives of the FCT Christian and Muslim communities led by the FCT Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Chairman, Samson Jonah and the FCT League of Imams Initiative, Tajudeen Mohammed Bello-Adigun.

The Minister disclosed that the meeting acknowledged the primary concern of all leaders and public officials which is to save lives and this involves monitoring closely reports from the health authorities which indicate that after nine weeks of the pandemic and attempts to curtail its spread not much has changed.

He insisted that all actions on the re-opening of the society are hinged on the advice of medical experts who at the moment do not support it.

Bello said the leaders of the religious organisations have therefore agreed to work towards the eventual opening up of worship places at a time to be determined by the Presidential Task Force, based on medical advice.

The Minister announced that a team consisting of representatives of the religious organisations and their leadership, as well as the FCT has been constituted to gradually look at what the modalities and protocols of operating places of worship will be when Covid-19 lockdown of the FCT is relaxed.

He said such modalities were not new, considering that certain protocols were put in place at the height of insecurity in the country when religious places were the targets for terrorists.

“Therefore, certain protocols such as use of face masks, compulsory hand washing and social distancing will have to be adhered to when places of worship eventually re-open. This will also include the identification and placement of modalities for the decontamination of all places of worship”, he said.