The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III-led Jama’atu Nasril Islam has supported guidelines issued by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 for reopening of churches and mosques across the country.
The JNI Secretary-General, Dr Khalid Abubakar-Aliyu, who stated this in an interview with one of our correspondents in Kaduna on Wednesday, urged Nigerians to support efforts of the Federal Government to fight the pandemic.
He, however, expressed concern about the ability of worshippers in churches and mosques to abide by the PTF guidelines.
Abubakar-Aliyu said that it would be difficult for worshippers to adhere to the PTF guidelines during services.
At the PTF press conference on Tuesday, its Coordinator, Dr Sani Aliyu, released the guidelines for the reopening of worship centres.
According to the guidelines, churches and mosques are expected to provide running water, soap and sanitisers at their entry and exit points. The guidelines stipulate compulsory use of face masks at worship centres.
The task force advised vulnerable people including those with conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer as well as people that were above 55 years to worship at home
It added members of the same family should sit together during services and that there should be a distance of two metres between people.
It said religious organisations should try to limit the time of their services to one hour. The task, however, disclosed that states would take final decisions on the reopening of the worship centres based on the guidelines it issued.
On Tuesday, states such as Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Kaduna said they had yet to reopen churches and mosques despite the Federal Government’s relaxation of the ban on gatherings at places of worship.
On Wednesday, the JNI said it supported the PTF’s guidelines. The group’s secretary general, however, expressed concern about the shortage of face masks and other kits for the protection of citizens.
Abubakar-Aliyu said, “It is indeed the stand of the JNI to appreciate efforts of government to reopen worship places after the outbreak of the deadly virus in the world and in particular, Nigeria.
“It is also important for the aged and children to adhere to experts’ advice to avoid worship places as outlined in the guidelines because once they are infected their lives will be in danger.
“But the problem is not all this. The problem is the ability of worshippers to keep to these rules. It is indeed difficult. It is not easy how this can be realised.
“Another challenge is the kits to prevent people from contracting the virus. It is difficult to get face masks in shops. They are scarce. It is important for the government to do more in facilitating how this can be realised by making the face masks available in affordable price for the common man to get.
In Ogun State, the League of Imams and Alfas expressed satisfaction with the conditions given by the PTF.
But the Chairman of the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria , Bishop ‘Tunde Akin-Akinsanya, said the association was waiting for the guidelines on the reopening of churches from the state government.
In his remarks, the Secretary General of the Islamic group in the state , Alhaji Tajudeen Adewunmi, said the Muslim leaders in the state had reached a consensus to support the conditions of the government in the interest of public safety.
But the national leadership of CAN said it was still meeting over the PTF guidelines.
Adebayo Oladeji, the Special Assistant (Media and Communications) to CAN President, Samson Ayokunle, in an interview with The PUNCH, said, “We are still meeting and studying the guidelines.”
Source: Punch Newspaper
