Akufo-Addo’s directive on Church gatherings not clear – Concerned Clergy Association of Ghana

The Concerned Clergy Association of Ghana has expressed dissatisfaction with President Akufo-Addo’s statement on the number of congregants to be at Church service at a given time, MyNewsGh.com reports.

The President of the Association, Rev. Benny Woode in an interview with Kojo Marfo on Kumasi-based Abusua FM’s flagship political program ‘Ghana Amamuo’ noted that the President in his tenth address to the Country wasn’t explicit in communicating the number of Church members they can hold at a given time at Church auditoriums and a further clarification of the issue will serve them better.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his tenth address to the nation on review measures he has adopted to ease the ban on social gatherings which were imposed as part of measures to help prevent the spread of the Covid-19 in Ghana revealed that an abridged format for religious services has now been instituted.

He stated that “Twenty-five per cent (25%) attendance, with a maximum number of one hundred (100) congregants, can worship at a time in church or at the mosque, with a mandatory one metre rule of social distancing between congregants.”

But Rev. Benny Woode believes the statement is opened to more interpretations as they do not know if the President meant 25% of their entire Church congregation can come to Church at any given time or exactly 100 people are supposed to be present.

“We respect what the President said yesterday and largely the measures he outlined are good but two things are not clear to us… In terms of the number of people to be at Church, he first said 25% and said again 100 people. What does he mean by that?

We need a further clarification on the matter as we can’t use assumptions.  Some Churches accommodate 100 people whilst other Churches accommodate over 2,000 people so is it the argument that in both instances, 100 people must be present or 25% of the Church’s total population?

We respect what he said but we need further clarification and at best, we will admonish that they take away the maximum 100 people definite number and use percentages only.” He stated.

Source: MyNewsGh.com/