By Patience Loum, Banjul, The Gambia – Tuesday, August 25, 2020.
Gambia Action Party (GAP), an opposition party in the Gambia, has appealed to government to reopen worship and religious centres across the country.
Churches and Mosques were closed on August 6, 2020, to slow the infection rate following a spike in Coronavirus cases across the country.
The party’s Secretary General, Musa Batchily, on Thursday August 20, 2020 while speaking to the press said such a gesture will be greatly welcomed by the country’s nationals since mosques and churches fulfil a vital spiritual dimension in the lives of Muslims and Christians.
He furthered that re-opening will play a huge role in providing a memorable flame of hope to the country.
He also questioned the operations of markets that gave since been allowed to operate for some hours stressing that social distancing has not been observed.
“The markets are filled with people with no social distancing being observed. There is no justification for closing the mosques,” Musa stressed.
He thus wants religious gatherings to be allowed to operate while observing preventive measures.
He argued that the administration of President Adama Barrow must free itself from foreign influence.
While expressing his party’s overwhelming gratitude to those who fought for Gambia’s freedom from British rule, Batchilly argued that the West African country under the leadership of President Barrow is gradually becoming a puppet for foreign actors.
