The Information Minister , Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has reiterated the President’s directive that families across the country who are not residents of the lockdown areas can still hold their private funerals with not less than 25 persons.
His comments come in the wake of concerns by the Mortuary Workers Association that the facilities are getting full as families refuse to bury their relatives following the ban on social gatherings and partial lockdown in parts of the country even after the President’s directive of holding private funerals.
In response to this, the Minister said:’’ private funerals across the country fit into the earlier executive instrument where it happens that not less than 25 persons can hold a funeral but for Accra and Kumasi because of the lockdown it does not apply unless the lockdown is lifted’’.
In a related development, a community health advocate, Samuel Arthur called on President Akufo-Addo to issue specific directives to families who have kept remains of their relatives in morgues for a long time to bury them to free up space.
The community health advocate stated that there should be communication from the Presidency making it mandatory for persons to bury their dead especially those who have been kept in the morgues for a long time.
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He added that an ultimatum should be given to families of these bodies to get these bodies deposited in graves.
Meanwhile, the country as at yesterday April 15 2020 recorded an increase in Covid-19 case count from 636 to 641 with 83 recoveries.
Again, eight (8) persons have died from the coronavirus disease in the country.
Regions that have reported cases are Greater Accra, Ashanti, Central, Eastern, Western, Volta, Northern, North East, Upper East, and Upper West regions.
READ ALSO:Ghana's COVID-19 case count now 641, 83 persons recover fully