Following the announcement on July 1 that religious centres in the state would be reopened on July 17, the Ekiti state government has rescinded its decision to allow the reopening.
According to a statement on Friday by the Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr. Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, the suspension of the reopening was as a result of the consideration of the level of preparedness of religious bodies in the state to comply with the stipulated conditions.
The state governor, Kayode Fayemi, had on July 1, asked mosques and churches, which had been shut since March, to reopen for worship activities once a week from July 17.
But Yaya-Kolade in the statement said “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.”
The Commissioner 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 -12 and 65 and above are also exempted from attending any congregational programme in any religious centre because of their vulnerability.
Yaya-Kolade stated: “The churches are permitted to hold their programmes once in a week and should last for just two hours”.
