GOVT’S DIRECTIVE ON WORSHIP: How Asaba Churches Faired

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Thursday last week met with religious leaders in Delta state to work out modalities for church services for the next two weeks.

At the meeting it was resolved that church services should only hold on Sundays and Wednesdays, with only one service of a maximum of two hours on Sunday.

Churches with 50 sitting capacity auditoriums were asked to allow only 20 persons in a service, 50 persons in churches with 100 sitting capacity and 100 persons in churches with 500 and above sitting capacity.

They were also directed to maintain social distancing of at least one meter between members, provide hand washing facilities, ensure worshippers wore face masks, avoid hand shaking and hugging.

Our reporter, who monitored compliance in some churches in Asaba on Sunday, confirmed that the directives were largely followed.

At Testifiers Embassy Church, behind ULO suite, off Ibusa road Asaba, a hand washing apparatus was set in front of the church for members to wash and sanitize their hands before entering the hall.

Sitting was well spaced out and majority of the worshippers wore face masks.

The first mass had ended at St. John Bosco Catholic Church, by Ibusa junction on Nnebisi road and the second mass in progress when our reporter visited.

Though social distancing, hand washing and wearing of face masks were complied with, the directive on one service was flouted.

The parish priest, Reverend Father John Konyeke, said he understood the directive to mean that no priest should say more than one mass, stressing that every catholic priest was entitled to lead a mass.

There was full compliance at St. Joachim and Ann Oratory, opposite the Oshimili south arcade Asaba, where Reverend Father Augustine Odu was celebrating the only mass of the day when our reporter visited.

Social distancing, hand washing and wearing of face masks were strictly complied with.

The situation was the same at the Evangelical Church of Yaweh, District Headquarters, Asaba, where Bishop Chris Mamedu was conducting the only service.

A family in the church which had a child dedicated did that without inviting friends for fear of the spread of COVID – 19, while other precautionary measures were obeyed by members of the church.

Service had ended at Victory Baptist Church, Ezenei Avenue, Asaba, when our reporter got to he church.

The priest in charge, Reverend Monday Opone, was not available to speak on how it went, but his Personal Assistant, Mr Vincent Osas, said only one service was observed, with not more than 100 worshippers in attendance, while other precautionary measures spelt out by government were complied with.

Service also had ended at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Delta Province 3, in the Junior Staff quarters axis of Asaba when our reporter visited.

Pastor Tomi Sodeinde, who presided over the service said all the rules were obeyed, adding that worshippers who came without their face masks were given the material free of charge.

Sodeinde said members had earlier been sensitized on the precautionary measures online, while those who could not come to the service were encouraged to worship with the General Overseer of the church via satellite.