Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has lifted the social distancing order imposed to curb the spread of the COVID-19 on religious congregations in mosques and churches across the state.
Bello, in a statement issued in Lokoja on Thursday, said that lifting of the ban was to enable religious bodies to resume their normal worship and services.
The statement was signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr Kingsley Fanwo.
He urged all religious leaders to put in place preventive and precautionary measures in their various worship centres in order to contain the outbreak and spread of coronavirus in the state.
Specifically, the governor directed that hand sanitisers must be provided for worshippers at the entrances of all churches and mosques.
“Sitting arrangements in mosques and churches should be done to ensure social distancing.
“We also urge churches and mosques to make their services as brief as possible in order not to keep a large crowd of worshipers within enclosed confinement,” the governor said.
Bello then enjoined the religious leaders to continue to pray for the end of the pandemic.
Bello had on March 20 ordered the closure of public and private schools (tertiary, secondary and primary) in the state indefinitely as part of measures in preventing the spread of coronavirus disease.
- NAN