MONROVIA – The Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) has called the Government of Liberia (GOL) to reduce what it calls “unnecessary tensions” in combating against the spread of the deadly Coronavirus in the country.
The LCC made specific reference to the current impasse between the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) and the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT).
There has been war of words between the leadership of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), and Deputy Information Minister for Press and Public Affairs, Eugene Fahngon, over the printing and acquisition of new Covid-19 passes for journalists during this lockdown period.
Minister Fahngon claimed that the previous Covid-19 passes issued by the government and in collaboration with the PUL leadership, have been allegedly duplicated by the Union’s President Charles Coffey, Jr. and as such, new passes will be printed and journalists roaming the streets above 3PM will be embarrassed.
But the leadership of the PUL contended by requesting all journalists to reject the new passes being printed by Minister Fahngon on grounds that, members of the PUL do not need passes to carry on their assigned tasks and responsibilities.
The Union mandated journalists to use their valid Identification Cards during this lockdown period which was precipitated as a result of the state of emergency declared by President George Manneh Weah to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the country, instead of the “Eugene Fahngon’s new passes”.
According to LCC’s President, Rev. Kortu K. Brown government should strengthen its political will and follow the advice of health authorities regarding safe practices for dealing with this virus instead of creating “unnecessary tensions”
He added that government should also solicit all stakeholders’ views and commitment in thie fight against the virus at this time.
“We call on the Government to strengthen its political will and follow the advice of health authorities regarding safe practices for dealing with this virus as well as solicit all stakeholders’ views and commitment in this fight. It is also important that the Government reduce [the] unnecessary tensions in the fight against Covid-19 including the one developing between the Media and the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT)”.
Lack of coordination
At the same time, the LCC says it has observed “an overall lack of proper coordination and assertiveness on the part of the Government to enforce its own restrictions on the general public”.
Rev. Brown said government continues to permit the mass movement of people in total disregard for the State of Emergency and lockdown in the counties.
“This is quite different from how churches have been restricted and we believe the mass movement should be curtailed, just as churches have been curtailed”.
He added that though the churches in Liberia, through its partnership with the government, have observed all restrictions put in place by the Government, including the suspension of worship services in their traditional places of worship for the past months, mass movement of people from and to the lockdown counties is continuing.
According to him, the suspension of worship services has been one of the greatest concerns of the LCC, but the religious body cooperated with government for the sake of citizens’ health.
Rev. Brown, however, called on churches in Liberia to continue to observe the state of emergency imposed by the government and abide by the health measures put in place by authorities of the Ministry of Health to ensure the well being of the nation and members of their respective congregations.
He added that churches should also exercise high restraints towards the resumption of regular activities until the health authorities give an advice following the conclusion of the second lockdown, by May 13, 2020.
While maintaining objectivity and strengthening partnership with government and all other partners in the fight against this deadly disease, Rev. Brown wants churches to continue to fast and pray for the extermination of this virus from the global community, including Liberia.
“The Liberia Council of Churches is fully aware that prayer is one of the weapons needed in the fight against this virus. But, we are also convinced that the community of faith must take all necessary and practical actions”.
“ALL Liberians should encourage the wearing of face masks in public places to undermine the spread of the virus. ALL Liberians should try as much as possible to abide by the social distancing protocols especially in public places. This fight is our fight; we must put on our wisdom helmet and win with Christ on our side. We call on the Christian community and all Liberians to stand together and win this fight together”.