Lagos Announces Dates For Reopening of Religious Centres, Lists Guidelines

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has announced dates for the reopening of religious centres.

Sanwo-Olu during a media briefing on Thursday at the State House, Marina said congregational mosques would resume on Friday June 19 while churches would resume in Sunday June 21.

”As we all know, mass gathering during COVID-19 pandemic can be of serious public health consequences.

“And there are documented evidence that mass gathering can increase the spread of the virus.

”That is why we will from 14 days time, precisely from the 19th of June for our Muslim worshippers, from the 21st of June, for our Christian worshipers, be allowing all of our religious bodies to open at the maximum of 40 per cent of their capacity.

”We know that these places of worship have different sizes, but even if your 40 per cent capacity is really so large, you cannot have beyond 500, and keeping that 40 percent maximum capacity is really, really so, so important.

”We will be encouraging people to have more than one service and to ensure that they keep their premises clean, disinfect before another round of worship can take place,” the governor said.

The Governor said those below the age of 15 and 55 and above who are more vulnerable to the virus would not be allowed into places of worship.

urged all religious houses to adhere strictly to safety measures like fumigating and keeping the premises clean, making sure worshipers wear face mask before entering, use of sanitiser, among others as the Lagos State Safety Commission would be going round to check level of compliance.