Ogun Govt. Announces Reopening Of Churches, Mosques

By Raymond Osho

ABEOKUTA: Ogun state government has announced the gradual relaxation of restriction placed on religious gathering in the State due to the novel Covid-19 pandemic, commencing on Friday, June 19, 2020.

The state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun made this known during a Press Conference in Abeokuta, the State capital on Friday, June 5, 2020.

This came barely 24 hours after his Lagos State counterpart, Babajide Sanwolu announced the relaxation of the ban on religious activities in Lagos.

Governor Abiodun explained that the relaxation would be effective immediately after the Covid-19 sub-committee task force had review all the submissions and guidelines adopted by religious leaders on or before Friday, June 12, 2020.

He said, “We have set up a Covid-19 sub-committee task force that include our religious leaders to review their submission and their review and adoption or submission will be done on or before Friday, June 12, 2020. It’s our hope that following that review, the relaxation will tentatively commence on Friday June 19, 2020.

“The gradual relaxation of the lockdown is only because government appreciate the effort of the religious leaders over time in the fight against Covid-19, particularly their submissions on how to relax the restriction on religious gathering which are practical and mutually reinforcing”.

Abiodun hinted that the task force include religious leaders, government and security agencies to ensure compliance with their good guidelines for religious activities.

His words, “The task force include religious leaders, government and security agencies will be established to ensure compliant with their good guidelines for religious activities any place of worshipping that violate the guidelines will be closed. ”

The governor warned that any place of worship that violates the guidelines would be closed, adding that all the existing guidelines to combat the pandemic remain in place.

Abiodun stressed, “All the existing guidelines to combat this pandemic remain in place. All five working days in the week are still opened for activities apart from Saturday and Sunday restriction on inter-state travels are still in force, wearing of facemask in the public is still mandatory

“All industry in Ogun state must continue to apply the infection prevention and control guidelines in the state to combat Covid-19, therefore, testing of staff on Covid-19 in all industries in the state must be sustained.”