Mosques reopened as SoPE is extended

The government last evening extended the state of public emergency for another three weeks but allowed the reopening of mosques and other places of worship.

A press release issued by government spokesman Ebrima Sankareh stated:

“Alarmed by the recent upsurge in Covid-19 infections and deaths and based on advisory from the Health Ministry, President Adama Barrow declare a state of public emergency and a curfew throughout The Gambia for an additional period of 21 days.

1. All educational institutions (universities, colleges, schools, madrassas, daras, majalis and gamos) remain closed. An educational institution may be opened for official use by administrative staff and shall open solely for the purpose of administering the West African Senior School Leaving Certificate Exams (Grade 12) from 17th August to the 7th September 2020.
2. A public place of worship (mosque, church, et cetera.) may be opened 15 minutes before scheduled congregational prayers and shall be closed immediately after the end of prayers. A person in charge of a place of worship shall ensure the availability of hand cleansing and hygiene materials at the entrance of the premises to be used by all worshippers.

Each worshipper shall wear a facemask covering the mouth and nose; all taps and toilets in the premises of worship centres shall remain closed to the public. In the cases of mosques, all worshippers shall come with their own prayer mats and worshippers shall keep a distance of at least one metre from each other. By this Regulation, all churches or mosques shall be closed immediately after every congregational prayer and a Special Committee shall be established by each worship centre in The Gambia for the observance of these new public health and safety guidelines. The Gambia Government encourages all mosque and church Committees to engage their members and worshippers in adhering to the letter of the State of Public Emergency Regulations governing places of worships and all other aspects of public life.

3. Nightly curfew from 10pm to 5am daily remains in place throughout The Gambia. Persons on official Covid-19 duties, ambulances and public officials on essential assignments are exempted from the curfew. Anyone who violates the curfew commits an offence and is liable to a fine of D5,000 or in default of payment be ordered to undergo community service of cleaning public markets for a period of one week in the area he or she committed the offence.
4. All forms of public gatherings remain prohibited.
5. All other Regulations on the compulsory wearing of facemasks, operations of markets and shopping areas, opening hours of food and non-food outlets, closure of air, sea and land borders of The Gambia and penalties for spreading false information on the Covid-19 pandemic remain in place.”