Governor Dapo Abiodun Reopens Religious Centres, Schools Aug 14 But No Hugging, Handshake

The state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, announced the reopening on Wednesday, when he addressed a press conference at his Oke-Mosan office.

Governor Abiodun said the school reopening, which takes effect on August 4 is for students in SSS3 classes.

Abiodun also announced automatic promotions for students in all classes.

He said worship centres will reopen on August 14, with strict adherence to specified guidelines.

The governor also reiterated that weekend lockdown will continue till August 14 when churches and mosques are expected to open for worshippers.

Meanwhile, congregational prayer will not be allowed during the Eid-el-Kabir, as the governor advised Muslim faithful to avoid large gatherings and observe social distancing while they celebrate Sallah

 

Friday 14th of August, tentative date for the opening of Religious Centers, Duration of 1hr:30mins

No form of Eid Prayer in Ogun, observe prayers at home.

Weekend lockdown continues till 14th of August.

Wearing Facemasks is now compulsory in public, offenders to be jailed 6months.

No gathering or partying of more than 20 People till 14th of August

All Students in Ogun Schools to enjoy automatic promotion to the next class, meaning no third term examination.

Ogun set to reopen churches, mosques

Church and Mosque

Ogun State Government on Wednesday set machinery in motion towards reopening of worship centres, barely four months after they were closed as part of moves to flatten the curve of COVID-19 infections.

In March, following its ban on high density gathering, the state government banned congregational service at the worship centres, in furtherance to its effort at curtailing the spread of COVID-19.

Daily Trust reports that early last month, the government met with religious leaders and tentatively fixed reopening of worship centres for June 19, but the planned was later suspended by Governor Dapo Abiodun, who cited rising number of cases for the decision.

However, a government delegation on Wednesday visited churches and mosques in Ijebu, Remo and Egba axis of the state, to ascertain the level of preparedness of worship centers towards reopening of congregational services.

The team comprising three Commissioners, Dr. Tomi Coker (Health); TPL Tunji Odunlami (Physical Planning and Urban Development) and Hon Abiodun Abudu-Balogun (Environment) met with religious leaders and inspected preventive measures put in place by the faith-based organizations.

Speaking on the inspection, the Commissioner for Health, noted that there was mixed reactions among the religious bodies on their level of preparedness.

Coker said:  “We observed mixed reaction from the religious leaders on their level of preparedness because some have shown that they cannot actually guarantee the safety of their congregants from the COVID-19 pandemic and there are some that have complied with the laid down protocols.”

On his part, Abudu-Balogun, commended some of the worship centres on their level of preparedness towards reopening, while expressing satisfaction on decontamination of the centres.

“We are here on the directive of Governor Dapo Abiodun to ascertain the level of compliance, as well as the preparedness of worship centre towards reopening. From the environmental point of view, we can see a high level of preparedness regarding decontamination of worship centres. What we noticed and needs to be addressed urgently is the ratio of chemical required to decontaminate the premises,” he said.

Responding, the Cathedral Administrator, St. Sebastian’s Cathedral, Odo-Egbo in Ijebu -Ode, Rev. Father Vincent Ajayi, said the visit by the government officials showed the commitment of Prince Dapo Abiodun’s administration towards ensuring the safety of lives of the people.

On his part, Wakilu Musulumi of Yoruba land, Edo and Delta States, Sheikh Iskeel Lawal, said the leadership of the Central Mosque, had regularly engaged the Muslim Faithful on COVID-19 safety guidelines, adding that the mosque has procured the needed safety kits, such as thermometers and hand washing materials, to contain the spread among the congregation.

PTF Asks Businesses, Schools, Worship Places Andothers, To Prepare For Reopening

The Presidential Task Force on Coronavirus response has asked businesses, offices, professional bodies, places of worship and educational institutions, awaiting reopening to use the additional two weeks to plan and adopt new strategies under a COVID-19 era in line with the guidelines, for the new life ahead.

Chairman of the PTF COVID-19 and Secretary to the government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, speaking at the daily briefing on Tuesday, also urged Nigerians to prepare for “behavioral change” which he said ” is a must for every citizen because COVID-19 has changed the world completely”

Mustapha who assured that the PTF COVID-19 is committed and determined to continue to provide the required leadership for this national response, added that in the coming days, intense consultations will be deepened with different segments of the society including the state governments, security agencies, religious and community leaders to ensure a coordinated implementation of the measures.

He reiterated that specific directives have been issued to security agencies to strictly enforce the measures, and admonish Nigerians to please observe the restrictions in full.

He also assured essential workers such as the frontline medical personnel, the media, the environmental health workers, farmers and agro-related service providers, oil and gas services, aviation, the power sector, amongst others that they will be adequately protected.

“Your obligation is to always carry a valid means of identification.

“I am happy to inform you that our risk communication strategy has been enhanced by the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN).

“The professional body has offered the services of its members pro bono to the PTF, in order to strategically and effectively communicate with more Nigerians on the pandemic.

Mustapha said the PTF will leverage on existing community structures and assets right down to the ward level to push through a massive public awareness campaign aimed at ensuring voluntary community engagement and ownership of the fight, consistent with its community engagement strategy,

He reminded all Nigerians that the ravaging force of the virus does not discriminate on the basis of status, creed, political persuasion, profession or where you come from.

“Now is the time to avoid any distraction from whatever quarters and all hands must be and remain on deck. On our part, we assure Nigerians of our commitment to accountability, diligence and probity.”

Lagos State Governor List Conditions Churches And Mosques Must Meet To Reopen

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State government has revealed that businesses and worship centres will soon reopen if they meet certain conditions.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, raised the hope on Sunday. Sanwo-Olu said pending when those conditions are met, “the status quo will remain.”

The state, which is the epicenter of the virus in the country, has been under lockdown and lately restrictions and curfew, to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

The governor spoke at the Government House in Marina during an update on the state of affairs with the management of COVID-19.

He said: “We are reviewing and considering how the phased unlocking will happen. If we see huge level of compliance, then it can happen in the next two to three weeks. If not, it could take a month or two months. It is until we are sure all of these players are ready to conform to our guidelines,” the governor said

From this week, he added, work would proceed fast towards reopening of the state’s economy adding that the government would embark on what he described as “Register to open.”

As the government is weighing the options, on the next line of action, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industries, (LCCI), unveiled the report of a survey it conducted on the effect of the lockdown on the economy of the state.

The report indicates that 81per cent of businesses have been “severely affected” by the COVID-19 lockdown with a mere 17 per cent indicating moderate impact on their business.

Sanwo-Olu, who announced that the 10 Government House workers who tested positive for Coronavirus had all been discharged and back at their duty posts, further explained how the reopening process would be.

“We are at a level where we are reviewing the other arms of the economy. In the coming days, we will be starting what we call Register-to-Open, which means all players in the restaurant business, event centres, entertaiment, malls and cinemas will go through a form of re-registration and space management.

“There is a regulation that will be introduced to supervise this move. We will be coming to their facilities to assess their level of readiness for a future opening. I don’t know when that opening will happen in the weeks ahead, but we want these businesses to begin to tune themselves to the reality of COVID-19 with respect to how their work spaces need to look like.

“For us, it is not to say they should re-open fully tomorrow or any time; there has been a process guiding the re-opening. We will be mandating Lagos State Safety Commission (LSSC) and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) to begin the enumeration process and the agencies will be communicating with all relevant businesses and houses in the days ahead. I must, however, caution that this should not be misinterpreted as a licence for full opening; it is certainly not. The State’s economy is not ready for that now.

“Similarly, places of worship we would be going and working with them as much as possible to see their level of preparedness ensuring that we keep as much space, in the event that we will be unlocking them in future”

Although the governor did not give specific time for the lifting of the lockdown, he however said it could be two, three weeks to one month time.

He said there would be a gradual phasing off of the lockdown because the economy of the state cannot be shut down for too long; but that “there has to be a process towards unlocking the whole place.”

Business hitherto excluded from the easing of the lockdown in the past one week, like hospitality, events, entertainment, malls etc, will re-register to open, a process that will enable the government to ascertain their level of preparedness for reopening in a few weeks.

The government, he said, will visit religious houses to determine their level of preparedness and compliance with social distancing regulation and use of facemask and other precautionary measures as the lockdown is being gradually phased out.

Sanwo-Olu said officials from the LSSCLASEPA will be visiting restaurants, companies, religious houses to assess their level of readiness.

“There is a regulation that will be introduced to supervise this move. We will be coming to their facilities to assess their level of readiness for a future opening. I don’t know when that opening will happen in the weeks ahead, but we want these businesses to begin to tune themselves to the reality of COVID-19 with respect to how their work spaces need to look like. “For us, it is not to say they should re-open fully tomorrow or any time; there has been a process guiding the re-opening.

According to him, the government had seen some encouraging levels of compliance at the open and food markets which needs to be improved upon while the contrary is the case with the yellow buses and interstate movements which he said the government would be looking into.

Sanwo-Olu said his government has approved special preference for the elderly of 60 years and above, beginning from this week, to be attended to in the banking halls, shopping malls and open shop between the hours of 9am to 10.30am before others will be allowed in to transact their businesses.

Businesses and worship centres must:

• A register to open must be filled
• Inspection of business facilities
• Visitation to religious centres to determine compliance
• Hospitality, Events, Entertainment, Malls to re-register
• LASEPA and LSSC to communicate with all businesses

Despite Rising Covid-19 Cases 5 States Announcedthe Opening of Mosques And Churches For Prayers

In spite of the rising number of people infected with Covid-19 daily in Nigeria, five states have opened mosques for prayers.

The decision was in line with repeated calls by the governments of the states, especially in the northern part of Nigeria to ask for mosques to be opened for prayersl.

Some Clerics see the benefits of opening up markets, where tens of thousands of people are gathering together, but also failing to open places of worship that do not bring together people in the markets?

The five northern states that allow citizens to continue their prayers despite the Coronavirus crisis are:

Kogi: Kogi Governor John Bello has ordered the opening of mosques in the state after lock down for fear of the spread of Coronavirus.

The governor through the commissioner of informatio, Kingsley Fanwo called on religious leaders to take precautions and prevent the spread of the disease in their places of worship.

He then called on religious leaders to continue to pray for the disease to be eradicated worldwide.

Borno: Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum announced the lifting of the lockdown after spending three weeks in it.

Deputy governor of the state, and chairman of the campaign on COVID-19 in the state, Usman Kadafur announced the withdraw of the law, said the state has chieve the goal for the lock down.

He said "The lockdown has been lifted, but if there is a recurrence of the spread of the virus, we will go back, sanctions must be imposed, Friday prayers and other prayers will continue as usual in the mosques with a view 'to stand at a distance.'

Gombe: Governor of Gombe State has announced the lifting of the lockdown on mosques for the fight against the spread of COVID-19 after a meeting with religious leaders.

The governor said the cleric has assured him of their commitment to ensure their follower adhere to government-imposed rules to prevent the spread of the disease and prevent its spread.

But he warned them that if they refuse to abide by the rules imposed, he would repeal the law.

Adamawa State Governor Omar Umar Fintiri has granted Muslims the right to resume their religious services in the mosques as usual.

The governor's spokesperson made the announcement on Thursday, saying the governor had asked the clerics to establish a disease control system at the place of worship.

"Mosques, Churches and the Market can be opened." He says.

Zamfara: Governor Bello Matawalle has ordered the continuation of prayers at mosques across the state after withdrawing a curfew for fear of spreading COVID-19.

Matawalle disclosed this in a statement issued on state radio on Thursday and thanked the public for their adherence to the rules.

He said “So we have revoked the ban on opening mosques and churches, but we urge the community not to hold several meetings at the same time. Then sanctions are put in place. ”