Ghana Charismatic Bishops’ Conference has described the government’s four-week ban placed on churches and places of worship as “arbitrary” and “discriminatory”.

According to the Christian body, the decision which was taken and announced without an input from their members “smacks of a disregard of the importance of the church’s role in the country.”

President Akufo-Addo in a televised address Sunday, announced that, as part of measures put in place to curb the spread of coronavirus disease in Ghana, a ban has been placed on public gatherings, as well as closure of schools, universities and churches.

The Ghana Charismatic Bishops Conference, criticised the decision, raising concerns about other centres overlooked by the directive.

In a statement from the body, by its General Secretary, Rev. Kwasi Deh , they want the government to also shutdown night clubs, restaurants, shopping malls, busy offices, banks, drinking spots, chop bars, lorry stations and markets.

READ ALSO:

Coronavirus: Ghana’s Northern Boarders remain Exposed

“We find it unfortunate that important church groupings such as the Ghana Charismatic Bishops’ Conference, National Association of Charismatic & Christian Churches, and Ghana

Pentecostal Council have not been engaged in the making of this announcement. 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 Conference indicated.

If questioned that “Churches own and run a significant part of the health infrastructure and hospitals in the nation. As the announcement has gone forth to close down activities of these churches, shall we assume that the health facilities which these churches run are also to close down?”

The Ghana Charismatic Bishops’ Conference is, therefore, calling on the government to accordingly shut down all social interaction centres “and not to discriminate by closing down churches, schools and institutions which they deem frivolous or dispensable in the society.”

Below is the Full Statement