Burials now a luxury; families pay GH¢26,000 minimum

Death, a necessary end, will come when it will come, but finding a decent final resting place for a departed loved one is increasingly becoming a difficult task for many

, especially in the nation’s capital.

Concerns of bereaved families who desire a decent resting place for their loved ones range from the activities of grave looters to the exhumation of the dead for new burials at the traditional cemeteries in the capital.

What further worsens matters is that the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) says the two major cemeteries in the capital are full and the search for a new burial place is still ongoing.

In the face of all these difficulties, an alternative burial arrangement which offers a wonderful ambiance and beautiful setting is catching up with many Ghanaians.

Although these private cemeteries offer everything ideal about a modern cemetery, the cost involved is not for people with shallow pockets.

At these private cemeteries, the grave space are leased for a period and negotiated after the lease term expires.

The Lashibi Funeral Homes, which owns one of the two plush private cemeteries in the capital, leases a grave space for an amount of GH?26,200 for a period of 20 years, after which the terms are negotiated.

Mr Godfred Otu, General Manager of the Lashibi Funeral Homes, says the unattractive nature of the traditional cemeteries have made the private ones a burial place of choice for families who seek to maintain an honourable and dignified memory of their beloved ones.

According to him, ‘the garden’ provided by the Lashibi Funeral Homes, for instance, provides a garden-like cemetery with flora, which takes away the myth and fear that is often associated with cemeteries in the country.

He explained that ‘the garden’ offers an atmosphere which allows family members to visit the tombs of their loved ones at anytime they wish to.

At the Osu and Awudome cemeteries, a grave space costs GH?800 and GH?550 respectively.

Special tombs at the Osu and Tema cemeteries cost between GH?4,000 and GH¢7,000.

Dr Boateng, Director of Public Health at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, told Weekend Finder land for burials at the two traditional cemeteries has been exhausted.

According to him, there are currently policy proposals for graves to be re-used after 25 years.

He said the assembly is currently close to finding a new burial place in the capital.