Religious gatherings to begin in Enugu as Govt lifts ban - As Lagos discharges another 48 coronavirus patients

Normal church services are to resume in churches in Enugu state on May 10.

The Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN), Enugu State chapter, in a statement issued by Most Rev. Christopher Ede, the state Chairman, said that church worship services would resume in all churches across the state on that day.

The council said that this was part of the agreements reached with the state government on Thursday.

The Archbishop of Enugu Methodist Church Nigeria, Ede, said that each denomination must however, observe all the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and other government Covid-19 advisories.

Ede said: “All member-churches of the CCN, Enugu State, are hereby notified that we have reached an agreement with the governor on the resumption of public worships, with effect from May 10.

“Churches should make each service short and ensure that members are sensitised during the period of preaching on how to protect themselves from the virus.

“No church is permitted to exceed noon on each worship day and you are at liberty to hold many sessions of worship within the specified time,” he said.

“We shall continue periodic review of the situation with the governor to do what is best for the safety of the people at each time.

“Ministers and pastors are to take personal responsibility of making sure that the rules are obeyed, as any escalation of the virus may lead to another complete lockdown in the state,” Ede said.

Recall that the state government had, on March 31, suspended all religious and social gatherings, after announcing a partial lockdown, occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic especially, that such gatherings must observe social distancing protocol, and that there will not be more than 20 persons meeting in a church hall at a given time.

Also on May 4, the state government announced a gradual and partial ease of the lockdown, which permitted certain categories of traders to reopen their shops, but excluded churches and other places of worship.

Meanwhile, another 48 Coronavirus patients who recovered from the ravaging coronavirus epidemic have been discharged after testing negative twice in Lagos.

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, expatiated that those discharged were 32 male and 16 female and all Nigerians.

Sanwo-Olu said, “I’m pleased to announce to you the discharge of 48 more patients; 32 male and 16 female, all Nigerians who were discharged from our Yaba, Lekki, Onikan and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) isolation facilities to reunite with the society.

“The patients, 28 from the Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba, 6 from Lekki, 1 from Onikan and 13 from LUTH Isolation Centres were discharged, having fully recovered and tested negative to #COVID19 in two consecutive readings.

“With this new development, the number of #COVID-19 confirmed cases that have been successfully managed and discharged in Lagos stands at 406.”

The Governor added: “We will continue to celebrate and acknowledge our wins, as well as reflect on our losses. These will help us stay on course, prevent us from being distracted, help us stay focused as we face this pandemic head on.

“Though we have been recording recovered patients, we need to also be careful, remain guarded, and show commitment and cooperation with authorities as we are all in this together. Our wins are your wins, our losses, your losses.”