From Ifeoma Ejiofor Awka
Rhe Anambra State Government on Monday stated that the state’s burial law is still applicable to burial and funeral ceremonies in the state.
The Commisioner for Information, Sir. Paul Nwosu, in a press statement reiterated that the Anambra State House of Assembly had on April 9, 2019, enacted the Burial/Funeral Ceremonial Control Law, which has not been abrogated.
Nwosu noted that the law states that the burial/funeral ceremonies of an indigenous deceased person should commence with the registration and payment of N1,500 to the Town Union.
“No person shall erect any billboard, banner or posters of the deceased. Persons are allowed to erect only directional posts.
“No directional post shall be erected before seven days to the burial date and should be removed not later than seven days after the burial date.
“Any person who contravenes the provisions shall upon conviction, pay a fine of N100,000 or go to jail for six months, or both.
“No person shall deposit a corpse in the mortuary beyond two months from the date of death.
“Any person who contravenes this shall pay a fine of N100,000 or serve an imprisonment term of six months, or both.
“No person is allowed to block a road for any burial except with permission from the appropriate Local Government Authority.
“No person shall publicly display a casket for the purpose of fabrication and sale in the state, and any person who contravenes is liable to pay a fine of N50,000 or go o jail for one month, or both.
“There shall be no wake-keep of any kind for any deceased person in the State. All vigil-mass/service of songs/religious activity for the deceased prior to burial shall terminate latest by 9pm.
“There shall be no food, drink, live-band, cultural entertainers during and after any vigil-mass/service of songs/religious activity for the deceased”.
