The Anambra State Government has passed a law prohibiting the depositing of corpses in the mortuary or any other place beyond two months from the date of death.
The law was enacted by the Anambra State House of Assembly to control burial and funeral ceremony activities in the state.
Anambra State governor Chukwuma Soludo commended the assembly for the legislation.
“Anambra Burial Law is a very Progressive law to remove the burden and pressure on the poor as well as liberate women from oppressive practices during burials,” Soludo said.
“We celebrate “befitting living” and only a decent funeral.”
By this law, all mortuary attendants are to report to the Ministry of Health of any corpse which has stayed beyond one month from the date it was deposited.
It warned that any person who contravenes the provisions will be fined N100,000 or six months imprisonment or both.
According to the new law, there shall be no public display of caskets for fabrication and sale.
They state that whoever is found guilty will pay a fine of N50,000 or one-month imprisonment or both. Also, the law looked into the registration of burial and funeral ceremonies.
It stipulated that all burial and funeral ceremonies of indigenous deceased persons in the state shall be registered with the town union of the indigenous deceased person.
Also, the registration fee for each burial and funeral ceremony shall be N 1,500.
Also, the new law warned against the blocking of roads and streets during burial ceremonies.
It advised that this can only be done with permission from the appropriate Local Government Authority.
