Lack of consultation in ban on religious activities wrong – Charismatic Bishops’ Conference

The Ghana Charismatic Bishops’ Conference has expressed disappointment with the lack of consultation from the state before a ban was slapped on all religious activities and some public gatherings in the country following the novel coronavirus outbreak.

It said it was unfortunate that groupings like the Ghana Charismatic Bishops’ Conference, the National Association of Charismatic & Christian Churches, and Ghana Pentecostal Council were not engaged before the new directives were given by the state.

In a statement, the conference said “the arbitrary closure of churches and places of worship without consultation or discussion for 4 weeks, smacks of a disregard of the importance of the church’s role in the country.”

“This disregard of the place of this powerful social and religious institution, to which over 70% of Ghanaians belong, is wrong,” the statement added.

Lapses in the ban
The conference also questioned lapses in the government’s directive which excluded “places of intense social interactions”.

“The notices from the Government do not mention the closure of night clubs, restaurants, shopping malls, busy offices banks, drinking spots, chop bars, lorry stations and markets. Such entities have been noted in other country’s experience, France being a good example, where the pandemic has not been controlled as such enterprises have remained open.”

Source: Citinewsroom