The Chairman of Abia State Inter-Ministerial Committee on COVID-19 and Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Barrister Chris Ezem, has expressed his displeasure over the flagrant flouting of COVID-19 protocols by churches in Umuahia.
The Chairman who visited some churches with members of the committee frowned at most congregants who did not put on facemasks nor observed social distancing in their sitting arrangements in the church despite directives to that effect by the State Government.
Some of the churches visited along Ikot Ekpene Road, Ihie Ndume in Umuahia North, and found to have fallen foul of the rules include Streams of Joy and Salvation Ministries.
While reprimanding Pastors of the concerned churches and their members over the development, Barrister Ezem warned that any church that continues to flout the State Government’s guidelines of 50 worshippers per stream of service stands the risk of being sealed up.
He added that “COVID-19 has entered the community infection stage. We keep emphasising on this every day but it looks like the churches are taking it as a joke. It is not! COVID-19 is not written on anyone’s face; it is not malaria nor is it measles whose symptoms are clearly visible. One can contract the virus by coming to church and not following the guidelines of the government”.
Barr Ezem who emphasized that the ban on children attending church worships and other gatherings remain in place as they are particularly vulnerable to Coronavirus infection also commended the leadership and parishioners of the Anglican Communion (Church of the Good Shepherd), Ehimiri, Umuahia, for their high level of compliance with the State Government COVID-19 protocols. He reminded them that the same reasons State Government was yet to open schools should guide them to stop holding services for children until further notice.
Speaking to newsmen after the spot visits, Ezem informed that his team will continue to undertake regular checks of compliance by religious worship centres and warned that going forward any non-complying worship centre will be sealed off.
