The Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has urged Muslim leaders to adopt the use of social media to broadcast sermons to their congregants, in the wake of the covid-19 outbreak.

According to him, this will serve as a safer means for the Muslim leaders to reach out to their congregants to avoid the possible spread of the virus as advised. 

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo banned all public gatherings including conferences, workshops, funerals, festivals, political rallies, church activities, and other related events as part of measures to stop the spread of coronavirus in the country.

President Akufo-Addo in a national address on Sunday [March 15, 2020] said the ban will be in force for four weeks.

Addressing Muslim leaders and Clerics at a Prayer Breakfast Meeting at the Jubilee House today, Friday, the Vice President said he was happy that some mosques had already adopted the innovative method of prayer.

“The decision to suspend services in churches and mosques was drastic but a necessary measure to safeguard our health so we can get back stronger and worship our Lord…During this temporary period of not being able to converge at mosques for prayers and listening to the weekly Friday Khutbah, I would like to suggest an innovative way of delivering weekly sermons through social media to homes in the country by Imams and mosques which has the capacity to do so.”

“I am happy that the Ghana Police Mosque has announced its intention to deliver live Friday sermons through Facebook to its congregants and Muslims in general during this temporary suspension of congregational prayer,” the Vice President said.

Dr. Bawumia further expressed gratitude to the Muslim leadership for their swift adherence to the President’s directive on the suspension of public gatherings.

“One of the most striking government directives was the suspension of religious activities in churches and mosques.

For us as Muslims, our daily congregational prayers and weekly Jumma prayers would have to be put on hold as the nation battles the spread of the dangerous virus….Just a day after the President’s directive, the national Chief Imam held a press conference and urged Ghanaian Muslims to strictly adhere to the directive.”

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“Also, the National Chief Imam in conjunction with the leadership of the various Islamic sects in the country issued a press release suspending all congregational prayers and functions including Jummah until further notice. In compliance with these directives by the Muslim leadership, many leading mosques in the country have also issued statements to their congregants announcing the suspension of congregational prayers.

"Your eminence, the President and the government sincerely appreciate the cooperation of the Muslim leadership towards our collective effort to protect our country and citizens from the deadly threat of COVID-19,” Dr. Bawumia added.