The Founder and General Overseer of Destiny Empowerment Chapel International (DECI) has suspended church gathering in his outfit although the President has partially eased restrictions on religious activities.
This was revealed in a Press release signed by Dr. Benard Taylor, Senior Pastor, DECI who mentioned that, church services will remain virtual until further notice.
“Remember we are dealing with varied people with variegated backgrounds; hence you never can tell where someone is coming from nor what someone picked up on their way to you. Thus, ‘preCAUTION’ must be taken”, the Senior Pastor stated.
Dr. Taylor noted, “We have so many years ahead of us. Church will always be there for us to worship in as Christians. What matters is; we need LIFE to serve our God. Let’s not downplay WISDOM with SPIRITUALITY”.
The Corona Virus Disease (COVID’19) epidemic has forced leaders across the globe into implementing strategic measures in curbing the spread of the disease within their jurisdictions.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on March 15th 2020, placed a ban on public gatherings and closed down all schools and universities as one of Ghana’s enhanced responses to the COVID’19 pandemic.
Consequently, on Sunday, 31st May, 2020, President Akufo-Addo declared the lifting of the ban imposed on in-person religious services and other public gatherings, as part of the measures to restore socio-economic life amid living with COVID’19.
President Akufo-Addo, therefore, said effective Friday, 5th June, Muslims could worship at the mosques, while Adventists and Christians who held services on Saturdays and Sundays follow suit on 6th June and 7th June respectively.
In his 10th national broadcast, President Akufo-Addo said, “twenty-five percent (25%) attendance, with a maximum number of one hundred (100) congregants, could worship at a time in church or at the mosque, with a mandatory one metre rule of social distancing between congregants. In addition to 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 hand washing facilities and sanitisers were to be provided, with a maximum duration of one (1) hour for each service.”
“Religious institutions that are desirous of opening their premises to their members, such as churches, mosques and others, must disinfect, fumigate and put in place the requisite logistics needed to guarantee safe opening and operation”, he noted.