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Bickering over COVID-19 protocols

Since the first reported case of COVID-19 in Nigeria in February 2020, various measures were taken by both federal and state governments towards meeting up with the attendant challenges of the novel disease. ADEWALE MOMOH writes on the measures employed by Ondo State government to curb second wave of the deadly virus and reaction of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) towards the move

When the deadly COVID-19 broke out in Wuhan, China, apprehension pervaded most parts of the world on how the novel virus would be tackled. Nigeria was not left out of this uncertainty. In Nigeria, most people were of the belief that adequate plans had not been met when compared to what played out across some Asian, European and North American countries.

Following the discovery of the country’s index case in Lagos State in February, 2020, after an Italian arrived the country with the dreaded virus, with its subsequent spread across most states of the country, measures were activated to contain the spread of the virus, among which were the enforcement of nose mask usage and curfew as well as total lockdown in some states.

After months in the decline of confirmed cases of the virus which had claimed over a thousand lives, some of the measure put in place to curb its spread were relaxed as well as the enforcement of the existing ones. During the peak of the pandemic, Ondo State has its own fair share in the substantial number of confirmed cases and deaths. However, for the past weeks the statistics had reduced significantly.

With everyone heaving a sigh of relief that the virus will soon be a thing of the past, the second wave of the virus with different strains reported in some cities across world popped up. Following the second wave of the dreaded COVID-19 currently sweeping across some countries, the Ondo State government had canceled crossover vigils across the state as a measure towards curbing the spread of the disease.

With the hope of Christians who had planned to storm churches on the eve of the New Year dashed, the state government also disclosed that the resumption of pupils and students in primary and secondary schools had been postponed from January 4 to January 18, 2021. The Chairman of the Ondo State Interministerial Committee on Coronavirus and Vice Chancellor, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, Prof. Adesegun Fatusi made the disclosure last week in Akure, the state capital. According to Prof. Fatusi, no church service organised in respect of the new year celebration must exceed 10p.m until further notice.

While emphasizing that the Committee had extensive interaction with various stakeholders, physically and virtually, on the need to take proactive measures against the second wave of COVID-19, he stated that the state was working assiduously to ensure that no substantial case of the virus would be recorded during the second wave of the pandemic.

He said, “The Federal Government has stipulated that schools should be closed till January 18. The inter-ministerial committee decided that events as regards the pandemic should be watched. So, we want to observe and ensure that there is no active transmission within our system.

“Primary and secondary schools will not be resuming on January 4, they will be resuming by January 18. That’s the decision regarding the schools. “On the issue of religious services, note that there is a national curfew in place, and the state is bound by the principles of that curfew.

“Therefore, churches and mosques are not permitted in line with that curfew to hold any service beyond 10:00 pm.” Following the cancellation of the crossover vigil, the Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Ondo state, Reverend John Oladapo had vowed that services will the held during the New Year eve. When asked if that would not be against the state government’s directive, the CAN Chairman said that “We were not consulted. We are not aware of that. “Issues like this is not just a radio announcement or someone just writing from one corner of his office.”

Infuriated by the alleged plan of CAN to disregard its directive, the Ondo State Government threatened to jail any church leader who violates the earlier order, that crossover service must not take place in any part of the state. While carpeting the CAN Chairman in the state, Revd Oladapo over his alleged directive that christians should ignore the order by government as regards the crossover service, the State Inter-ministerial Committee on COVID-19, described the move as uncalled for.

According to Chairman of the COVID- 19 Inter-ministerial Committee, Prof. Fatusi, it was misleading for anyone in a position of leadership in the civil society, including religious leaders who were expected to be role models to openly call on citizens to disobey government’s public health orders made to ensure the health of people, with the implication of putting the health of the people at risk.

Prof. Fatusi added that the prerogative to obey or disobey laws is that of individuals and groups while the responsibility to enforce laws is that of the government, and individuals/groups who chose to disobey the government’s duly approved regulations, laws, and orders must be ready to face the consequences, including the penalty specified in section 18 of the Ondo State COVID-19 Emergency Prevention Regulation.

In a statement issued by the Chairman on inter-ministerial committee, he said “As the Technical Advisory body to the State Government on the control of COVID-19 in Ondo State, the Ondo State Inter-ministerial Committee on COVID 19 hereby wishes to draw the attention of the public, particular Christians and Christian groups that COVID-19 is primarily a health issue, and NOT a religious issue: it is, therefore, not in the domain or area of competence of any religious group and for CAN leadership to indicate that technical decisions on health matters cannot be validly made by the state government without first consulting with the Association is implausible and absurd.

“The order of a curfew from 10.00 pm to 4.00 pm is a subsisting public health order that has been in operation for several months and aimed fundamentally at safeguarding the health of the citizens.

The decision to maintain the curfew through and beyond 31st December 2020 in Ondo State was taken jointly with a deep sense of responsibility by a body of leading health experts at a meeting convened by the Inter-ministerial committee on Thursday, 24 December 2020, and involving the leadership of the major health professional groups.

“Government has the primary and primal responsibility to protect and safeguard the health of her people and the Ondo State Dangerous Infectious Diseases (COVID-19 Emergency Prevention Regulation) signed into law on 31st March 2020 empowers the Governor to take relevant actions to curb the spread of the COVID-19, including restriction of movements. The Governor does not need to consult with CAN or any religious or civil group before exercising the power that is duly vested in him by the law of the land.

The statement further read “The evening and night of December 31st marks the end of the year for all people and not for any religious group and in the face of the threat of the second wave of COVID- 19 in Nigeria, all individuals and groups – whatever their religious leaning may be – have a duty to celebrate State to celebrate the end of the year with a deep sense of responsibility and a strong commitment to safety and resist any call by anyone, no matter how highly placed, for them to disobey government health order and, therefore, put themselves at the risk of COVID-19 and its consequences as well as legal penalties, including fines and jail terms as specified in the Ondo State COVID-19 laws.

With the atmosphere of the state charged over the position of the state government and CAN, a stakeholders meeting was called over the development. According to the state government during the meeting, its decision to place ban on crossover services across the state was not targeted at any religion but aimed at strengthening public safety and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

Inter-ministerial Committee on COVID- 19 Chairman, Prof. Adesegun Fatusi, who disclosed this during the interactive meeting with various religious leaders and stakeholders in Akure, the state capital, he noted that the meeting was part of the Committee’s strategies to strengthen the fight against COVID-19 with a view to educating leaders on the need to play exemplary role in the fight against the virus. While commending some religious leaders and other stakeholders who had supported the government in its effort at mitigating the spread of the infectious disease, appealed to the Church to remain an agent of change.

“We are talking about a matter of life and death. People have talked about maintaining protocols in markets and other places but focus on churches and mosques is because by their designs they spread COVID- 19 more than open places. “It is an enclosed place and people are more active therein.

The likelihood of higher infection is very prominent. “The decision to cancel cross over vigil is not about churches, you will recall that the government cancelled Muslims gathering too, it is about subsisting order for prevention of outbreak of infection and reducing further spread of COVID-19.” Fatusi was echoed by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Oladipupo Durojaiye, who harped on the need for the people to celebrate in moderation and join hands in the fight against the virus, in the interest of all.

Responding, CAN Chairman, Revd. Oladapo had appealed to government to permit churches to celebrate the crossover services, stressing that churches had been educating members on preventive measures against the pandemic.

He further stated that, the body being a law abiding would not work against the directive of the government while requesting for a stronger working relationship between the church and the government. Meanwhile, the state government insisted that no crossover service must held across the state beyond 10 pm. During the eve of the new year, the directive was strictly adhere to, as crossover services did not exceed the approved time.

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