The Ondo State Government has approved the request of the Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN) in the state to observe the Easter Sunday worship in various churches across the state based on precautionary measures and guidelines earlier put in place to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Christians would celebrate the Easter on Sunday to mark the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Commissioner for Information in the state, Donald Ojogo, said in a statement in Akure that government had allowed a special relief for Christian faithful to mark the occasion.
“Government acknowledges concerns expressed in many quarters in respect of the above subject matter.
” This is especially in relation to the last government statement on the sustenance of the anti-COVID 19 measures put in place vis- a -viz the public statement issued by the Christian Association of Nigeria.
“The position of CAN and the government statement should be seen as mutually inclusive.
“CAN’s statement is explicit enough that government had graciously granted a special relief to enable Christians celebrate Easter Sunday, being one of the most important annual celebrations of the church
“That is the true position ,more so that the word ‘restriction’ advisedly applied to provide the caveat for this special concession in line with crowd control regulations.
“The State Government has already communicated to the Ondo State Police Command this concession granted CAN to, as it were, temporise and allow the celebration of Easter Sunday in churches.
“This is, however, without prejudice to all precautionary measures and guidelines earlier put in place to contain the spread of the pandemic as enunciated in Government’s earlier statements and as agreed to by the leadership of CAN.
“For emphasis, there will be no Easter Retreat (Good Friday Programmes) or the Jumat service gatherings on Friday or ‘Gallilee’ on Monday.
“The ban on all social, political and religious gatherings continues afterwards until further notice,” the statement said.