The Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, is discussing with Christian and Muslim leaders on their commitment to observe strict social distancing and other preventive measures as pre-conditions to lift the ban on congregational worship, following persistent calls for the reopening of worship centres.
Governor Yahaya told the Christianity and Muslim clerics that the decision was to seek their commitment to social distancing at places of worship, in furtherance of his administration’s commitment to expanding the frontiers of inclusiveness and democratic practice.
The Governor said, however, that his administration’s decision to ban all social, cultural, and religious gatherings in the state was to prevent community spreading of the Covid-19 and not to deny anyone from performing his prayers at mosques or churches.
Governor Yahaya said his government had before the index cases in Gombe, ordered the closure of all entries into the State, in addition to the provision of a one hundred and fifty capacity bed isolation Centre in Kwadon and another fifty-bed isolation centre at the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe.
According to him, his administration had equally established an Intensive Care Unit, fully equipped with ventilators, oxygen concentrators and other facilities for treatment of severe Covid-19 cases, while the awaiting the delivery of the already purchased Polymerase Chain Reaction, PCR machine, for the testing of individuals perceived to be carrying the Coronavirus.
Governor Yahaya said he had earlier resisted the imposition of total lockdown in the state and opted for a dusk to dawn curfew instead, so as not to add to the economic hardship already being felt by the citizenry.
He said as the Governor of Gombe State, he had pledged to protect the lives, property and dignity of the people, describing steps so far taken by his administration to contain the Coronavirus as rational and for the collective good and overall interest of the people.
In the meantime, the meeting could not take any stand, due to time constraints, but the government had asked the religious leaders to take a collective decision, in collaboration with security agencies and relevant officials on the matter and quickly give him feedback to enable the government to announce an agreed position.
Source: VON
