Monrovia, Liberia – President George Manneh Weah has ordered the reopening of Churches and Mosques across the country, but with moderate attendance.
The Liberian Leader wants Churches and Mosques to reopen with at least 25 percent of the regular worship occupancy allowed in a worship service at a given time.
Churches can now reopen as of Sunday May 17, while Islamic worship services can start on Friday May 15, 2020.
This means, churches and mosques must conduct series of worship services to mitigate the influx and satisfy the government’s social distancing regulation.
The move was part of new modified measures announced by President George Manneh Weah when he extended the State of Emergency by fourteen days.
Meanwhile the Government of Liberia is also calling on religious leaders, to use the upcoming Unification Day celebration to pray for the Country to be healed from coronavirus.
President George Manneh Weah at the weekend announced additional extension of the measures intended to curtail the spread of Coronavirus in the Country.
The stay home measure and other protocols were originally instituted on April 10, 2020 when the state of Emergency took effect.
“Health authorities have advised that in the wake of the unresolved crisis, the need for the measures to remain in place still is pertinent. However, because of the government’s decision to provide food aid during the period, corridors will be opened to enable food products move from one county to the next, while observing social distancing, face covering and other measures” the President’s statement added.
Following the announcement of the State of Emergency by President Weah in April, the joint security command and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia were ordered to enforce the different protocols that were pronounced.
Amongst the measures were orders to:
1) Quarantine the 15 counties
2) Ensure that everyone in those counties stay at home for two weeks – with exceptions granted to designated essential persons and businesses
3) Require all to be indoors by 3pm.
4) A directive to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to engage market leaders in order to make “satisfactory arrangements” for the operations of markets during the period.
“But following calls from religious leaders, President Weah has proposed that Churches, Mosques and worship centers consider the commencement of their operations beginning Sunday, May 17, 2020, with 25 percent of the regular worship-hour occupancy for each service, which will allow for social distancing and other protocols such as the use of face coverings, hand washing, etc. Muslims can begin on the Friday before that with the observation of similar 25 percent of its normal occupancy and the observance of health regulations. The security forces will be required to monitor these guidelines to make sure there is no violation” said an Executive Mansion Statement.
