Don't Live Recklessly! - Psychologist Cautions Christians As Church Reopens

Head of the Department of Psychology, University of Ghana, Legon, Professor Joseph Osafo has admonished Christians to observe the precautions against COVID-19 infections as they resume religious activities.

President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Sunday, May 31, 2020 eased restrictions on public gatherings resulting in the opening of churches and mosques.

He however has directed the churches and mosques to ensure a 100-member congregation and an hour religious service, hence failure to comply with the directives will attract sanctions.

Touching on the President's easing of restrictions on religious activities, Professor Joseph Osafo appealed to church leaders and members not to lose sight of the pandemic disease and forgo the social distancing protocols as well as the preventive etiquette towards the disease.

“We need to be cautious. The government has done its part, the rest of the responsibility lies on our shoulders. Be careful with your life and don't live recklessly,” he stressed.

He was however worried about how ''one-man'' churches with disorganized structures would maintain the 100 membership rule and also ensure social distancing among the members.

“The President has faith that we will take the right steps but the question is who are these religious leaders? If you have structured leadership and I know there are a lot of churches in Ghana have structured leadership, that helps because in a such a church, when orders are given from the top; it cascades...But when you take structured and organized churches, a good number of churches in Ghana are not organized. You don't really see where is the leader; who is the leader,” he said and called on the Minister of Religious Affairs to ensure the right measures are adopted for these churches to conform to the directive.