Local assemblies managing the country’s two major cemeteries in Accra have stated that the Awudome and Osu cemeteries are not full but are being carefully managed to ensure dignity, order and protection of public health.
There have been indications that the two cemeteries were full and families seeking to bury their deceased loved ones there were being turned away.
However, the managers of these two cemeteries, the most patronised have stressed that the facilities were now being managed more effectively.
While the Osu Cemetery now has a task force deployed to curb unauthorised activities and restore order at the facility, active burials were currently taking place on the eastern section of the Awudome Cemetery, where both Christian and Islamic rites were being observed.
Awudome
The Public Health Director of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA),managers of the Awudome Cemetery, Florence Kuukyi, said the cemetery, one of the oldest burial grounds in the capital, still had capacity and was being operated in a regulated and structured manner.
The frontal view of the Awudome Cemetery. Picture: ESTHER ADJORKOR ADJEI
She told the Daily Graphic: “We are not burying haphazardly.
All burials are carried out properly and in line with public health standards,” in an answer to public concerns that the cemetery was full to capacity, with some calling for its decommissioning.
Western section closed
However, Ms Kuukyi explained that the western section of the cemetery, which was used for infectious disease and mass burials, had been closed temporarily to allow it to undergo maturation, a process that allows buried remains to fully decompose before the land is reused or redeveloped.
She said the traditional maturation period of about 25 years had been reduced to 15 years due to increasing land scarcity in the city.
Ms Kuuyi added that the process did not involve the destruction of the graves, as memorial stones were constructed to honour those previously buried.
“We don’t just destroy everything. Families can still come and lay flowers at the memorial site,” she said.
Redevelopment
The Metro Public Health Director said the assembly was seeking a major investor to transform the western section of the cemetery into a modern burial facility.
She said the proposed redevelopment would include a mortuary, a crematorium, designated burial grounds and spaces for church services and funeral ceremonies, effectively creating a one-stop centre for burial services or a complete funeral home.
“At the moment, we have not secured an investor.
The land is still undergoing maturation, but we are calling for well-resourced investors to partner with us on this project,” she said, adding that the land was extensive and located within the city centre.
She reaffirmed the assembly’s commitment to expanding burial options, including cremation, as part of efforts to address rapid urbanisation against limited land availability in Accra.
Security
On security, Ms Kuukyi said the cemetery operated fixed opening and closing hours and had daytime supervision, but did not yet have permanent night security.
She acknowledged challenges posed by broken perimeter walls but stated that police patrols and checkpoints in the area had helped to reduce criminal activities.
Osu cemetery
At the Osu Cemetery, managed by the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly (KoKMA), an Assistant Sexton, Nartey Kwaku Odopey, said the cemetery was not at full capacity, but there has been some restrictions after the assembly received reports of illegal activities, including unauthorised access, squatting, illegal exhumations and the unauthorised sale of burial plots.
Mr Odopey explained that such activities often occurred outside official working hours, making it difficult for staff to monitor them.
“Previously, we did not have formal security here. We close around 5 p.m., so some people came in without our knowledge.
“Even on Sundays, when staff are not at work, people come in to carry out their activities,” he told the Daily Graphic.
He stated that the security lapses prompted the KoKMA to impose a temporary ban on burials at the cemetery to allow for tighter controls and reorganisation.
Despite the suspension, Mr Odopey said families who had already secured burial permits and completed the required documentation before the ban would be allowed to proceed with their burials.
“Those who had arranged their burials earlier and have all their documents will be allowed to bury.
After the two months, the Assembly will sit down and schedule how the cemetery will operate going forward,” he said.
Inadequate lighting
Touching on challenges, he identified squatting, loitering and smoking within the cemetery as major concerns, adding that inadequate lighting within the grounds had made monitoring difficult.
While a security light has been installed at the entrance, he said lighting inside the cemetery remained limited, creating opportunities for illegal activities, particularly at night.
He, however, commended the assembly for the steps taken so far and expressed confidence that the measures would help restore order and protect the sanctity of the cemetery.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh