Ekiti State Government rescinds its decision to reopen religious centers

The Ekiti State Government has rescinded its decision to reopen religious centres in the state for worship.

The state governor, Kayode Fayemi, had on July 1 asked mosques and churches in the state to reopen for worship once a week on Friday for Muslims effective from July 17 and once a week on Sunday effective from July 19, for Christians. The religious centres have been closed since March

However, in a statement released today July 17, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, said the government had to rescind its earlier decision after reviewing the preparedness of the religious centres to comply with conditions stipulated for reopening.

The statement in part reads

“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 as much as fumigation of religious centres remains a prerequisite for reopening, she added that such should not be done in contravention of the Ekiti State Environmental Health and Sanitation Law. She reiterated that persons between the ages of 1 -12 and 65 and above have been exempted from attending any congregational programme in any religious centre because of their vulnerability.