Even in their useless state, the deceased are revered as ancestors in Ghanaian culture and are considered as nearly sacred being

However, examples of young people carrying bodies without a coffin and wearing them on their shoulders like celebrities have come to light recently, marking a significant break from local cultural customs.

It represents a newfound affection for the deceased among the living, since it is the fresh march to the grave for the departed.

The Mortuaries and Funeral Facilities Agency (MoFFA), a body under the Ministry of Health (MoH), has taken strong exception to this inconvenient practice and has denounced the improper care of the dead during funerals across the nation.

It claimed that these kinds of actions went against public health principles and were not in the public’s best interests, nor the solemnity and decorum that befit funerals.

The agency expressed its dismay at a video that went viral on social media showing several young people from Asante Akyem in the Ashanti Region handling a dead body improperly, as well as at other incidences that were recently documented in recordings from different regions of the nation.

In the Asante Akyem incident, a young man’s corpse was brought across the funeral grounds while singing was being performed by the youngsters.

To the surprise of observers, other mourners held the corpse’s hands as the procession proceeded.
Respect “The agency is deeply troubled by the disregard for the deceased’s dignity and respect.

“We condemn such despicable acts as they are against the solemnity and dignity that should be upheld during funerals, and strongly encourage the public to desist from such practices which are in contravention of public health tenets and are not in the best interest of public health and safety,” said the statement.

The Daily Graphic was informed by Dr. Yaw Twerefour, the Registrar of MoFFA, that the organization would formally write to the police in an attempt to capture the perpetrators.

He declared that in order to serve as a warning to others, the agency will lead by example by capturing those responsible.

He emphasized, “We have to let people know that it is bad and that there is a law against such things before we write to the Regional Commander to help us in this matter.”

Commitment

He declared that the organization was dedicated to collaborating closely with all parties involved in order to advance honorable and appropriate funeral customs across the nation.

“We continue to uphold and cherish the memories of our departed loved ones, and we urge the public to report any such abhorrent acts to the agency for immediate action,” he declared.

“A person who unlawfully hinders the burial of the dead body of a person or who, without lawful authority, disinters, dissects, or harms the dead body of a person, or who, while under a duty to cause the dead body of a person to be buried, fails to perform that duty, commits a misdemeanor,” according to Section 285 of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960, Act 29.

MoFFA
The Health Institutions and Facilities Act, 2011 (Act 829) created the MoFFA, an organization under the Ministry of Health.

The licensing, management, and regulation of all establishments involved in the handling, transportation, and disposal of human remains is required.