Ghana’s Mortuary and Funeral Facilities Agency (MOFFA) has announced a nationwide deployment of personnel to monitor and safeguard the handling of corpses, marking a significant expansion of oversight within the industry. The agency, established to strengthen accountability and deter violations of dignity, will employ mobile phones and motorbikes to conduct rapid investigations and document suspected abuses. Executive Director Francis Ennin stated during a press conference that the deployment is part of a larger strategy to bolster vigilance and deter individuals from mishandling corpses in ways that violate their moral standing. The agency intends to assign mobile phones and motorbikes to all districts across Ghana, with the initial focus concentrating on regions deemed to have a higher incidence of problematic practices. Ennin emphasized that the presence of personnel at funeral grounds itself can act as a deterrent, a measure they intend to escalate further. The MOFFA is also actively developing proposals to amend existing legislation concerning corpse handling, including the introduction of substantial penalties for offenders. The agency is currently drafting a comprehensive legal framework to guide these revisions, acknowledging the potential costs associated with such a significant overhaul. ‘We need to amend existing legislation to establish more severe punishments,’ Ennin explained, stressing the need for a revised approach to enforce laws. The draft legislation is currently undergoing review by a committee and will require approval from both the MOFFA board and the Ministry of Health before becoming a national standard. The agency’s immediate priority is targeting southern and middle Ghana, where they believe the prevalence of inappropriate practices involving corpses is notably higher. This initiative represents a commitment to ensuring the dignified treatment of the deceased and adherence to legal regulations within the funeral industry. The deployment is intended to achieve a more comprehensive and proactive approach to safeguarding the lives and respect afforded to the deceased, according to MOFFA officials.
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Source: Adom Online
