The Chief of Bomfa in the Afigya Kwabre South District of the Ashanti region, Nana Kwaku Twumasi, has announced a strict ban on the construction of concrete tombs at the local public cemetery, citing space occupation and the need for more efficient land management.
Warning that Bomfa could face burial space congestion similar to the heavily congested Tafo Cemetery in Kumasi, the traditional ruler emphasised that immediate preventive measures are necessary to safeguard future communal land.
At a public engagement organised by the District Chief Executive for the area at Bomfa, Nana explained that under the new directive, traditional authorities will no longer permit the large, space-consuming concrete structures typically erected over graves in the public yard.
However, an alternative remains for families who still wish to build grand monuments.
According to the Chief, those who have the financial means and wish to construct elaborate tombs may do so by burying their relatives on private residential properties.
However, this is strictly permitted only after formally notifying and receiving clearance from the traditional council.
Expressing concern over a rising mortality rate alongside rapid population growth, the Chief made an appeal to the government.
Nana Twumasi urged government to provide specialised chemicals that could accelerate the decomposition of buried remains, allowing public cemetery land to be recycled more efficiently over time.
He also strongly criticised the cultural practice of spending extravagantly on elaborate tombs for individuals who lived in poverty.
The Chief noted that some individuals could barely make ends meet or even afford a formal address when they were alive, yet upon their passing, families construct massive tombs resembling “aeroplanes” that occupy massive space.
Nana Twumasi stressed that traditional authorities will no longer allow this to happen in the community.
To further discourage the practice and maximise the utility of the cemetery’s perimeter, the traditional ruler plans to construct 64 commercial market stalls directly in front of the burial grounds.
This development is designed to block the front view of the cemetery, neutralising the visual prestige often associated with grand tombs.
The Chief also bemoaned the hooliganism among some of the residents, particularly the youth, which he attributed to a lack of development in the community.
Nana Twumasi blamed the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration for tolerating such behaviors in the community while in power.
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