Residents May Need Permission Before Any Burial Ceremony--Peki Chiefs Go Tough

In a bid to ensure that residents and inhabitants of Peki adhere to strict COVID-19 protocols, the chiefs and traditional authorities of the Peki area in the Volta region are asking the people to seek permission before any burial ceremony is performed.

According to the chiefs, they are going real tough with the enforcement of measures and safety standards set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

“Henceforth any family who unfortunately loses a loved one and wishes to conduct private burial within the jurisdiction of the Peki Traditional Authority must first notify and obtain a permit from the Peki District Police Command.

“All private burials shall be conducted in accordance with the regulations contained in the Presidential Executive Instrument towards the fighting COVID-19," a statement issued and signed by the Royal Majesty Deiga Kwadzo Dei XII, the Paramount Chief of the Peki Traditional Area and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra stated.

The explained that the Police permit once obtained should be presented to the specific Town Chief within which the family intends to hold the private burial or the appointed representative of the Chief before the commencement of burial preparations such as the digging of a grave or the erection of canopies.

The Peki Traditional Authority noted that, there shall be no vigils or wake keeping proceeding the private burial; the mortal remains should only be collected from the hospital morgue on the morning of the day of burial and not before.

The statement further directed that, preparations of the mortal remains for burial can therefore commence at the hospital mortuary the day before the burial, but body should not under any circumstance be brought home for any vigil or wake keeping.

"The mortal remains could only be brought home and laid in state for a limited period of time on the day of burial, preferably between 15 and 20 minutes to enable family viewing, to be followed by burial service," it said.

The statement directed all families to ensure that all the private burial proceedings should not exceed one hour and in all circumstances the number of persons permitted to the ceremonies should not be more than 100."

The Peki Traditional Authority also directed all COVID-19 prevention protocols as laid by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation shall be strictly observed.

The protocols include; keeping a safe distance physically from each other, wearing Nose masks, sanitizing or washing ones hands under running water.

The Peki Traditional Authority also directed all sub-Chiefs to set up respective enforcement Town Task Forces whose membership should include the Assembly members of the Electoral Area, representative of the Police Command, and the sub-chief.

The Town Task Force is mandated to monitor compliance and report to the Town Chief and the District Police Service, any infringements or violations of the anti-COVID-19 protocols.

The Authority cautioned that anyone who flouts any portion of the regulations would be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the laws of Ghana.

The statement recounted and expressed concern that scores of people in the area had misconstrued the partial lifting of the COVID-19 lockdown as cancellation of COVID-19 regulations especially on private burials.

"His Royal Majesty and the Peki Traditional Council of Chiefs, is, therefore, informing people living in the Peki Traditional area that COVID-19 is vividly potent and dangerous.

“We must all at all-time obey the preventive protocols; we cannot joke with COVID-19 under any circumstances. We must follow the protocols, COVID-19 is deadly.”

---GNA