By Daniel Garteh|LPR News, Sanniquellie
Nimba County Inspector has cautioned traditional leaders including Zoes to stop all cultural practices across the county as a means of observing all preventive measures intended to fight the spread of the deadly coronavirus in the county.
Making the disclosure to reporters Monday April 6, 2020 in Sanniquellie, Inspector Mark Gblinwon called on traditional leaders to put an immediate halt to all Poro and sande societies in the County.
The Nimba County Inspector indicated that while it is important for citizens to respect and practice their culture, such time was not the best for cultural practices, adding that the country and world at large is currently fighting to combat the deadly COVID-19.
He cautioned that the Sande and Poro practices are informal school instituted by our forefathers to help prepare men and women to take care of their homes and family, but it was time to be suspended and practice all preventive measures prescribed by the Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia.
Recently, several citizens of Nimba County expressed concerns over the continual traditional practices in the county by Zoes or Sandy and Poro bush masters.
The citizens expressing their concerns on a local Radio Station (Radio Nimba) in Sanniquellie through a phone in program disclosed that traditional leaders around the county were still practicing activities that contravene what they claimed was health protocols intended to combat the coronavirus.
The callers mentioned the practices as Sandy Society and “collection of Witches” as those that should be halted in this critical as is a means of gathering large crowd, something the Ministry of Health and NPHIL have said should be avoided by citizens of Liberia.
Although the Government of Liberia does not have any constitution mandate on what is known as Witch activities or confession, but there are still witch doctors seen around towns and villages carrying those practices as customs and tradition in Nimba, our reporter said.
Up to date at least 14 cases of the deadly Coronavirus have been confirmed in Liberia with three deaths.
