Reverend Cyril Fayoose has said that because the Christian Council is not a regulatory body, it will struggle to enforce “many of things that we’re saying” in response to the new public health protocols on places of worship.
On 31 May, President Akufo-Addo announced the phased reopening of churches and mosques, which will be expected to abide by new guidelines on health, hygiene and social distancting.
“The things we are going to do are to educate our members and member churches to educate their members on how to adhere to them,” Reverend Fayoose told Kojo Yankson on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show.
He said the Council is praying that all churches adhere to the guidelines set for their reopening. “But enforcement is beyond the Christian Council to do at this point,” he said.
The general secretary added that what churches can do includes a system where churches peer-review each other on how each colleague church is adhering to the health guidelines.
“We are going to encourage peer review, encouraging colleagues to visit other member churches to see whether they are adhering to those regulations and encourage them. too. But apart from that it would be extremely difficult to police these guidelines,” Reverend Fayoose said.
“The only protection that they can provide for member churches as they prepare to reopen is to continue to encourage . . . member churches to protect themselves by adhering to the guidelines.
“That is the best protection we can give them. If you follow [the guidelines] strictly you should be fine,” he said.
