Ghanaians Observe Palm Sunday In Lockdown
By Melvin Tarlue
Christians in major cities across Ghana are today observing the Palm Sunday under lockdown.
The West African nation’s cities of Accra, Kumasi and Tema are under a two weeks partial lockdown due to the outbreak of the coronavirus in the country.
The lockdown imposed by the country’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo on Friday, March 27, took effect from 1pm on Monday, March 30.
Streets across the affected cities have remained virtually empty since the lockdown started.
Prior to the lockdown, the President had imposed on public gatherings including the holding of church services.
Churches or Christian leaders responded to ban by introducing live services online including Facebook, YouTube, to reach out to their members with the gospel as the nation goes through trying times.
Ghana has recorded 214 confirmed cases of Covid-19 as at April 5, 2020.
There are so far five coronavirus related deaths in the country as confirmed by health officials at the Ghana Health Service.
Palm Sunday is a major event on the Christian calendar annually.
It is the Sunday before Easter, on which Christ’s entry into Jerusalem is celebrated in many Christian churches by processions.
The processions are often characterised by the carrying of palms.
Ghana is a highly religious society with Christianity being the dominant religion followed by Islam and Traditional Religion.
Some 71.2% of Ghana’s population are members of various Christian denominations as indicated by the country’s 2010 population census.