By Uche Mbah
The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has issued guidelines for the opening of Churches nationwide as government continues to explores modalities for the gradual relaxation of the nationwide lockdown.
In a statement signed by CAN President, Reverend Samson Ayokunle, the Association said it is discussing with government on the modalities of reopening Churches.
“The government from our discussions wants us to draw up suggested guidelines for worship in keeping with COVID-19 containment requirements and submit for approval,” Ayokunle said.
Members of the Ecumenical body, has been agitating for the reopening of churches. Recently, the Founder and General Overseer of Living Faith outreach, also known as Winners Chapel, David Oyedepo, was reported to have wondered aloud why Churches remain closed while markets are open. In some Northern states, Churches and Mosques are declared open amid the COVID 19 pandemic.
Based on their discussions with government, CAN has drawn up draft guidelines for the opening of churches.
The draft will be discussed when the CAN president meets with the Sultan of Sokoto within the week, while projecting return to full activities by the end of June.
The thirteen point guideline is listed below.
- Churches should disinfect their premises first before they are reopened for services.
- Churches should provide alcoholic sanitizers, temperature readers, soap and water in their Premises to be supervised by medical professionalsin the Church.
- Every worshipper must either use soap to wash their hands or apply sanitizers.
- The temperature of every worshipper must betaken before admission into the church and people with the high temperature should not be allowed into the church but be advised to go and see their doctors.
- Every worshipper must wear facemask.
- Social distancing should be observed in the sitting arrangement with one meter gap between two worshippers.
- One and a half hour service is enough for a start.
- There should be a gap of 25 or 30 minutes between one service and another where there are multiple services to avoid crowd.
- Churches can make use of classrooms and multipurpose halls for services where available, especially in big churches in order to accommodate more worshippers at a go. TV circuit and speakers can be used for those who are not inside the main auditorium.
- Handshaking and hugging should be avoided before, during and after the service.
- Prayers should be offered to God for a speedy end of COVID-19 and quick recovery of all that are afflicted by the pandemic. Prayers should also be offered for those frontline workers for divine protection.
- CAN in each state and local government should constitute a committee together with law enforcement agencies in their area to enforce full compliance. Such civilian compliance officials should be given backing by the governments to apprehend those who contravene the worship regulations and hand them over to law enforcement agents.
- Churches observing Holy Communion serviceshould use separate cup for each participant.
