Covid-19: Benue Relaxes Lockdown, Reopens Churches, Mosques

Covid-19: Benue Relaxes Lockdown, Reopens Churches, Mosques

By George Okoh

The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, Wednesday announced a review of the Covid-19 measures in line with the Presidential Task Force on the pandemic.

The state government announced the reopening of churches and mosques with effect from June 3, 2020, but with staggered worship sessions.

This, according to Ortom, 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.

It also said each worship session must not last more than one hour.

“Churches and mosques should endeavour to provide water, soap and alcohol-based hand sanitizers for worshippers, and should insist on wearing of masks,” he said

The governor also directed civil servants on grade levels 1 to 12 to resume work on June 8, 2020.

The workers were advised to always wear masks and maintain physical distancing as they go to work.

Furthermore, he said markets are to be opened but are subject to physical distancing protocol on Covid-19.

Other measures announced are that public gatherings are permitted with a maximum of 30 persons who must comply with the protocol of Covid-19, inter-state movement remains banned, except those on essential services.

The prevailing curfew in the state has also been reviewed to now last between the hours of 10pm to 4am daily, until further notice.

However, the governor directed that schools should remain closed till further notice.

He appreciated the people of the state for the cooperation and understanding they’ve shown throughout the period of the pandemic.

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