Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom on Wednesday asked churches and mosques to reopen with intermittent worship sessions in strict compliance to social distancing guidelines.

Markets are also to be opened subject to physical distancing protocol on COVID-19, while schools are to remain closed till further notice.

The governor gave the directive while announcing a review of the COVID-19 measures earlier put in place by the state government in line with the Presidential Task Force on the coronavirus pandemic.

‘Churches and Mosques with effect from today Wednesday, June 3, 2020, can now hold staggered worship sessions. This implies that a Church or Mosque which before now held two worship sessions should henceforth conduct four or more sessions in a day to ensure physical distancing,’ the governor stated.

Related News

Governor Ortom also insisted that each worship session must not exceed more than one hour, advising that the houses of worship provide water, soap and alcohol-based hand sanitisers for worshippers, and should insist on the wearing of face masks.

The governor also asked Benue State civil servants from grade levels 1 to 12 to resume work on June 8th, adding that workers are required always wear face masks and maintain physical distancing.

He stated further that all public gatherings are permitted with a maximum of 30 persons who must comply with the COVID-19 mitigation protocols, including handwashing under running water with soap and the use of hand sanitisers provided at such gatherings.

The governor maintained that interstate movement remains banned except for travels for essential services, stressing that the prevailing curfew in the state has been reviewed to last between 10 pm to 4 am daily until further notice.