News

Lagos Approves Opening Of Gyms, Cinemas And Full Worship Services

The Lagos State Government has approved the full reopening of worship centres in the state after months of being shut down.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, announced this during a briefing in the state on Saturday.

According to him, churches are now allowed to observe their mid-week services, while the mosques are also allowed to carry out their five times a day prayer routine, with strict compliance to COVID-19 safety protocols.

“We must not forget that the coronavirus pandemic is still very much with us, and we must, therefore, strive to prioritize the safety of all our children, teachers, parents, and the entire society,” the governor said.

Before now, the state had allowed for a gradual re-opening of places of worship as lockdowns eased.

With the full re-opening now, the governor has urged Lagosians to continue to act responsibly and maintain the required levels of hygiene.

Some other parts of the world have witnessed a resurgence of COVID-19 infections and rising possibilities of “hard lockdowns”, which according to Governor Sanwo-Olu may become inevitable for Nigerians if caution is not applied.

“Let me make it clear that if we do not continue to maintain our guard, and sustain the adherence to all required protocols and guidelines, we will find ourselves in a situation where fresh lockdowns are inevitable,” he warned.

“The only way to avoid this is to continue to act responsibly: maintain the required levels of hygiene, through regular handwashing and use of sanitizers, wear masks in all public places, avoid non-essential public gatherings, and maintain the prescribed levels of physical distancing at all times.”

The governor said cinemas and gyms are to operate at 33 per cent capacity which is one third of their capacity.

For cinemas and gyms, Sanwo-Olu said: “If they have gotten safety protocol clearance, from tomorrow, Sunday, they can resume.

“Their resumption is only at 33 per cent of their capacity, meaning its only one-third capacity that you have at the various cinemas, you must leave two seats invented,” Sanwo-Olu said, adding it is the agreement with the operators.