Coronavirus: Religious activities commence from June 5 with 100 congregants

President Akufo-Addo has announced the commencement of Religious activities from June 5.

This, the president said is the beginning of stage one of the process of easing restrictions.

“An abridged format for religious services can commence. Twenty-five per cent attendance, with a maximum number of 100 congregants, can worship at a time in church or at the mosque, with a mandatory one metre rule of social distancing between congregants,” Akufo-Addo said in his 10th address to the nation on Sunday, May 31.

He added, "the mandatory wearing of masks for all persons at all times in churches and mosques, a register of names and contact details of all worshippers and handwashing facilities and sanitisers must be provided, with a maximum duration of one hour for each service."

President Akufo-Addo indicated that religious institutions that are desirous of opening their premises to their members, such as churches, mosques and others, must disinfect, fumigated and put in place the requisite logistics needed to guarantee safe opening and operation.

"They must work with the designated, regulatory bodies and undertake test runs of the protocols I have outlined. I would appeal to them, in the case of Christians, on the first Sunday of re-opening, [7th June], in the case of the Adventists, Saturday, [6th June], and in the case of Muslims, on the first Friday, ie Salat Al-Jumu'ah [5th June], to dedicate their worship to prayers for the nation in these challenging times," he noted.

The Minister for Religious Affairs, the president said will, tomorrow, Monday, 1st June, outline, in detail, the specific guidelines for the safe reopening of our churches and mosques.

Watch below the President's address.