Assin Central Assembly bans use of classrooms for religious activities

The Assin Central Municipal Assembly (ACEMA) has banned the holding of all religious activities in classrooms as part of measures to contain the spread of Covid-19.

The Assembly has deployed its Covid-19 monitoring taskforce across the Municipality to arrest all religious organizations and persons who defied the order to serve as a deterrent to orders.

In an address to the Nation on Sunday, May 31, the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo gave the green light for religious activities to commence in stages starting from Friday, June 5, for Mosques and Sunday, 7 for Churches.

Mr Nicholas Fiifi Baako, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), explained that the use of classrooms by churches often led to the destruction of school properties, academic work and now posed a serious health risk in the wake of the outbreak of the COVID-19.

However, Reverend Charles Addo Boateng, Chairman of the Association of churches worshipping in classrooms in an interview with the GNA, pleaded with the authorities to reconsider their decision as they would work assiduously to prevent any outbreak through their activities.

“This is coming from the authorities so we are just pleading, but if our pleading doesn’t work, then we have no option than to comply,” he stated.

The Municipality has recorded one Covid-19 case and awaiting test results of some 16 people suspected to have been infested, creating fear, panic and anxiety among the people, hence the urgent need to tighten COVID-19 restrictions.

Touching on other measures to mitigate the impact of the virus, the MCE announced that the Assembly had supported the Municipal Health Directorate with quantities of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and medical logistics to aid their work.

The Assembly, in April this year instituted a Covid-19 “Health Service Fund” to locally raise funds to contain the pandemic in the Municipality.

“The fund is to help fortify the capabilities of our public institutions so they can undertake mass testing and other public health measures to minimize the risks and impacts associated with COVID -19”.

"Health and safety of our people and nearby communities take precedence above all else,” he said, and noted that “we hope our contributions will significantly help us win the fight against COVID-19," he said.

The MCE entreated all religious organizations to encourage their members to endeavour to observe all the appropriate protocols to curb the spread of the virus and also encouraged infected persons to avail themselves for testing and treatment.