We don’t get corpses to carry again - Kumasi Hearse owners cry over poor sales

Hearse owners in the Ashanti Regional capital of Kumasi are threatening to hit the streets in protest against government and heads of various health facilities for allowing commercial cars to convey dead monies which is said to be pushing them out of business, MyNewsGh.com reports.

Even though dead bodies are continuously conveyed from various mortuaries within the region, they complain that bereaved families have resorted to the use of commercial vehicles such as Kia trucks and taxi ‘caravan’ vehicles when the job per the laws of the country are supposed to be done by a hearse.

According to the Ashanti Ambulance/Hearse Cooperative Society, commercial vehicles especially taxi and Kia vehicles are stabbing them in the back while authorities who are supposed to enforce the laws look on unconcerned, a development they told MyNewsGh.com they are not enthused about.

The Chairman of the association, Isaac Amoah who was speaking exclusively to MyNewsGh.com, said the use of commercial vehicles to convey corpse has become a huge cause of concern to them because it is killing the business in the Ashanti Region.

He described the practice as grievous saying it has a toll on their operations and the earlier authorities’ nib it in the bud the better for them warning that they will be compelled to hit the streets since they are being pushed out of business.

“These commercial drivers who use these vehicles to convey dead bodies also use the same vehicles to convey the foodstuffs which is dangerous to the health of consumers. We have taken several steps to stop this practice but authorities appear indifferent”, he lamented.

Mr. Isaac Amoah observed that commercial vehicles drivers who convey bodies barely use water and soap to clean their vehicles which has health implications on other passengers who use such vehicles afterward.

“The commercial drivers’ actions are gradually collapsing our business in the region. Commercial vehicles shouldn’t be allowed to convey corpse. Laws of Ghana are against commercial vehicles use to convey corpse. Ambulances are supposed to convey corpse. Those drivers also fail to wash their vehicles well and they will use the same cars to convey foodstuffs to markets for people to buy” he said.

He, however, called on government, the Health Minister and other stakeholders to put proper measures in place to address the issue.