Monrovia – The Inter-Religious Council of Liberia (IRCL) in collaboration with the National Public Health Institute (NPHIL) will commence the training of 510 mobilizers to ensure the implementation of its ‘faith based actions’ intended to curb the spread of the novel Coronavirus in the country.
IRCL is a conglomeration of the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) and the National Muslim Council of Liberia (NMCL).
The training of the field workers will kick off in Monrovia on Thursday, June 18.
In a statement issued by IRCL President, Bishop Kortu K. Brown, the exercise will cover several counties including Bomi, Bong, Grand Bassa, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Nimba, Margibi and Montserrado Counties.
The statement added that the training will be carried out by a team from the Ministry of Health, NPHIL and IRCL’s project management team.
According to the IRCL, the project also includes 21 other senior staff, eight county coordinators and five project management team members.
The IRCL launched a COVID-19 project with focus on “Faith Based Action to combat COVID-19 in Liberia” on May 13, at its headquarters on Clay Street, Monrovia.
The occasion was graced by Mrs. Laila O. Gad, Country Representative of the United Nations Children Agency, UNICEF, and Bishop Brown.
The statement disclosed that the IRCL executive committee is providing leadership and policy guidance on the implementation of the project and has already organized two steering committee meetings on June 11 and 16 respectively to put in place the appropriate mechanisms for operations of the project.
As part of efforts to ensure effective oversight and execution of the project, the steering committee has set up four sub-committees: Administration/Supervision, Program, Finance and Publicity and Awareness.
Each of the sub-committees is led by a representative of the Christian and Muslim communities.
The committees and representatives include: Committee on Administration Supervision – Bishop D. Jensen Seyenkulo, Chairperson and Mrs. Haja Fatumata Sheriff, Co-chairperson; Program Committee – Rev. Christopher W. Toe, Chairperson and Atty Vaforay Kamara, Co-chairperson; Finance Committee– Sheikh Ayouba Jawaraka, Chairperson and Dr. Benjamin D. Lartey, Co-chairperson, and the Publicity and Awareness Committee – Imam Abdullah Mansaray, Chairperson and Rev. Father Charles Boyce, Co-chairperson.
The statement divulged that these sub-committees will regularly liaise with the project management team on ensuring the full execution of the terms and conditions of the program.
“The IRCL Executive Committee extends appreciation to the UNICEF family for the support and cooperation in the fight against Coronavirus. We call on all religious leaders to make more commitment to the fight against COVID-19 by our actions of fully adhering to health regulations and scriptural directions that support the fight against this deadly pandemic,” the statement maintained.
“We call on the public, in general, to always wear a face mask and exercise a high level of social distancing and remain in full compliance to all health regulations and protocols relating to COVID-19”.