President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo eased the restriction on the number of persons worshipping at churches, mosques and other places of worship effective August 1, 2020 with the duration of worship also increased from an hour to two hours.
The president made the announcement during his 14th address to the nation under the theme ‘Measures taken against spread of coronavirus,’ last night, Sunday, July 26, 2020 at the Jubilee House, seat of the President.
He also announced that even though the churches, mosques and other places of worship could take as many people as the aforementioned places of worship could accommodate, they must do that by observing the distancing protocols and are required to wear masks.
The address, which is his first since he returned to office from a 14-day self-isolation after one of his inner circle was found to have been infected with the bug, saw the president mention a few easing of restrictions which were announced during earlier addresses.
President Akufo-Addo during an earlier address, announced that places of worship could only admit 100 people at a given service with each service expected to be an hour each in line with measure put in place by his government to curb the spread of the virus disease. The President announcement last night has come to ease the earlier restriction; a situation that was expected to be announced by the President prior to his address.
According to him, many had predicted that the virus was not going to last more than three months and added that it has been more than that the country together with others all over the world are still fighting it. He noted that it was high time Ghanaians found ways of living with the virus and contain it. He urged Ghanaians to ensure that while they return to their normal daily lives, they must take the distancing protocols serious as it is one of the surest ways of one staying away from infection of the virus.
He adds “I have sorely missed going to Church, as I am sure many others have,”. “I am, therefore, very happy to announce that, in consultation with our Church leaders, from August 1, 2020, the restrictions on the number of congregants worshipping at a time in Church will be lifted, with the length of worship extended from one to two hours per service.”
He cautioned religious leaders to make that their congregants observed all the COVID-19 protocols as they implement the enhanced easing instructions. He explained that they must always while at the places of worship, wear their face masks as well as the one metre social distancing. The measures according to the President, applies to the Mosque
Concluding on the easing of restrictions at the various workplaces of work, the President called for the stiffer attention on the part of the leadership of the worshipping centres as well as other places of worship.
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