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Minister of the FCT Malam Muhammad Musa Bello
By Anthony Maliki
A meeting of the FCT Emergency Operations Committee (EOC) on COVID-19, chaired by the Hon. Minister of the FCT Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, was convened on Friday, 16 July 2021, to review the current situation of the pandemic in the FCT especially as it relates to the upcoming Sallah celebrations.
From its deliberations, the meeting noted the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country and the FCT and the possibility of a third wave and sought for ways to curtail its spread.
Accordingly, in a press statement Saturday to Apex News Exclusive by Anthony Ogunleye, FCTA Chief Press Secretary, the committee rolled out some guidelines.
Thus, guided by the advice of the health professionals, the following guidelines are hereby issued for the upcoming Eid-El-Kabir celebrations in the FCT.
The all Eid prayers in the FCT are to be held in the open spaces at Jumaat Mosques as well as the National Eid Ground. This is based on medical advice that it is safer to hold large gatherings in open air spaces than in enclosed structures and all open Eid grounds should have multiple entry and exit points with hand washing and temperature checking facilities.
The guildelines also states holding capacity of Eid grounds should be reduced to 50% to ensure physical/social distancing, Imams should ensure that sermons are short so that the entire Eid prayers do not exceed one hour, all parks and recreational grounds and facilities shall remain closed throughout the festive period, and worshippers are enjoined to adhere to all prescribed non-pharmaceutical preventive measures of facial coverings, constant hand washing and physical distancing.
Also in attendance at the meeting were the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, the Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Bornu, the Coordinator, WHO FCT Office, Dr Furera Zakari, the Ag Secretary, FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr Muhammed Kawu, the Chairman, FCT League of Imams Initiative, Dr Tajudeen M.B Adigun, the Head of Media and Publicity , FCT Enforcement Task Team, Mr Ikharo Attah and other relevant officials of the FCTA.
