Churches within the Lagos metropolis on Sunday reduced their congregational gatherings to reflect the directive of the state government that the number of people should not exceed 50 in any worship session.
In Ojo area of the state where BusinessDay monitored, branches of different churches including the Redeemed Christian Church of Good (RCCG), The Apostolic Church Nigeria (TACN), Petal of Love Evangelical Ministries (POLEM), Assemblies of God, Celestial Church of Christ, recorded low attendance while others had their services split to accommodate less worshipers at a time.
It was also observed that worship sessions in various churches visited were shortened, as members were seen going home as early 10:30 after commencing services from 9: am.
Founder and prophet of POLEM, Melton Louis, who spoke with BusinessDay, said the government’s directive was strictly applied.
According to Louis, besides the state government’s directive, the church itself was taking measures, including the provision of hand sanitisers for members, while a vigil slated for last Friday had to be cancelled.
Going spiritual, the pastor, said the world needed to draw closer to God whose supremacy is unrivalled.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State government on Sunday reiterated its call on residents to adhere to the precautions outlined by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu during his address to update the public about steps taken to prevent further spread of the Coronavirus disease.
A statement issued by the commissioner for information and strategy, Gbenga Omotoso reaffirmed that the directive against the congregation of more than 50 persons in a single location would be enforced, saying “this is in the interest of Lagosians”.
e confirmed that despite conflicting figures on various media outlets, the number of persons restricted from gathering in public or private events remains 50 individuals.
Omotoso urged residents to remain calm despite the discovery of more persons testing positive to the virus, adding that the government is prepared to handle any eventuality.
While emphasising the need to remain vigilant, the Commissioner maintained that the emergency toll-free line 08000CORONA and other numbers provided by the ministry of health remain functional, advising members of the public to report any suspected case of Coronavirus through the helplines or at the nearest public health institution.
Joshua Bassey
