By Emmanuel Oti Acheampong
Over the years there has been a new twist and dimension to the funeral proceedings within Ghanaian society. Unlike formerly where the dead are accorded some last respect with some peace lifting and burying, there seems to be a new twist where Pallbearers are seen dressed in regalia and dancing with the dead body in a creatively carved coffin amidst other showmanship.
In a recent interview with GTV’s Breakfast Show, the Chief Executive Officer of the Mortuaries and Funeral Facilities Agency, Dr. Yaw Twerefour has described the recent showmanship and dancing exhibited by Pallbearers as disregard and disrespect to the dead.
He bemoaned how the Pallbearers carry the coffin and swing them in gymnastic and entertaining manner without taking into consideration the consequences that might come with it. He also called for the licensing of Pallbearers in the country.
“The Agency, does not have a problem dancing with the dead body, we have a problem when the body falls or the casket drops,” he said.
Dr. Twerefour mentioned that the Agency does not frown at the dancing gestures of Pallbearers but has issues with the falling of dead bodies.
He mentioned the falling and dropping of dead bodies and caskets is a criminal offense which depicts desecration of bodies according to the criminal code.
He said they are also in dispute about how Morticians (corpse dressers) decorate dead bodies and put them on display during funeral processions.
He mentioned that recent developments show how dead bodies are designed and decorated according to their jobs or professions. He noted that such acts are to be reported to the agency for further actions to be taken.
“We do not support that kind of burial where the display they do depicts the kind of profession the dead person did while they were alive,” he added.
According to him, the Agency is available to seek redress for bereaved persons who feel their dead relatives’ bodies were not preserved well at the morgue. He mentioned that, morgues that have such incidents reported about them stand a chance of having their licenses revoked because it depicts acts of unprofessionalism.
