Ghana's religious leaders have declared three days of national prayer and fasting to seek God's intervention and direction in the fight against COVID-19.
"We have been able to give hope and a sense of healing to our members, but will steadfastly look up to God for help through regular prayer and fasting," said Methodist Bishop Paul Kwabena Boafo, chairman of the Christian Council. He met with Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo April 21.
The fasting and prayer will run April 24-26. It is being organized by the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference, the Christian Council of Ghana, the Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, the National Association of Charismatic and Christian Churches and all other ecumenical bodies in Ghana. Prayers will be broadcast on radio and television and livestreamed on various social media outlets.
"This is an exercise in which all of us, coming together virtually, pray and ask God's intervention and his direction as we go through this pandemic," said Bishop Boafo. "So it is a good thing for you to even call us here this afternoon so that we can also make this to you that we are behind what the Government is doing and we will do it such that at the end of the day we will all rejoice for it that we stood together, we were in this together and we have battled to win this together."
Religious buildings have been closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Akufo-Addo has sought advice as to when they could reopen.
"There are still very important measures in place that are impacting the daily lives of our people," he told the Council of State members at an April 21 meeting.
Ghana had more than 1,150 confirmed cases of COVID-19 by April 22.
