The Archbishop of Lagos Catholic Archdiocese, Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins has urged the government to go into discussion with religious leaders to agree on guidelines for the reopening of Churches and Mosques.

Worship in Churches and Mosques as well as all large gatherings were banned by President Muhammadu Buhari on March 30, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and Ogun states, as part of measures to curb the spread of the Coronavirus.

Although, the total lockdown was eased a week ago, the ban on Churches, Mosques and schools remained.

Archbishop Martins in his homily in today’s Mass, broadcast on Hallelujah Channel, said it was wrong for the government to continuously announce that worship in Churches are banned rather than “the situation is being reviewed”.

He said such statement was insensitive to the aspiration of worshippers.

He said “this Sunday makes eight Sundays” that Christians in Lagos have not been allowed to worship in Churches and called for a review.

He stressed that a meeting of government officials with religious leaders can agree on guidelines to be followed in the reopening of places of worship.

The Mass was celebrated at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos without the congregation.

ExpressDay recalls that Bishop David Oyedepo, the General Overseer of Winners Chapel, had last week also called on the government to lift the ban imposed on worship in Churches and Mosques, arguing that if markets could be allowed to open, churches should also be opened.