Jubilation as Taraba relaxes ban on religious gatherings

Gov tasks security agencies to check migration from Cameroon

Taraba State came alive yesterday as Governor Darius Ishaku lifted the ban on religious activities. He had earlier imposed the ban to halt the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Ishaku, while briefing journalists yesterday in Jalingo, said: “Christians and Muslims are also free to resume their religious worships in churches and mosques.”

According to the governor via his deputy, Haruna Manu, in doing that, the people must ensure the observance of the rule of social distancing and all other safety protocols such as hand washing, as well as use of sanitisers and facemasks.

Explaining that the relaxation was necessitated by the total compliance to the lockdown, he said the relaxation became necessary “because as at today the state no longer has any active case of coronavirus infection. All the cases previously reported were successfully managed by our frontline health workers and have all been discharged to rejoin their families.”

Even with the present zero active case in the state, the government, he said, “cannot yet say that we are completely free of the risk on the infection” hence the need for the people to adhere strictly to the international protocols introduced by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and which have been domesticated to serve our needs and purposes in the state.”

The government will do everything possible to protect the people, including the acquisition of facilities to conduct more tests for COVID-19 in the state, he added.

His words, “We will also continue to bring succour to our people with the provision of palliatives to make the effect of the lockdown less painful.”

Stressing that his administration was still working round the clock to keep the pandemic in check, he pointed out that the ban on travels in and outside the state still remained.

He urged security agencies to with council chairmen, particularly those sharing borders with the Cameroon, to check the influx of people into the state.

“Beginning from this week, Friday, Saturday and Sunday are now free days during which people can go out and attend to their personal needs,” he announced.

Elated by the development, Tarabans lauded the decision of the governor, stating that such move would encourage them to join forces with the government in their various worship centres to pray fervently against the pandemic.