Aboabo gears up to eliminate expensive funerals.

Aboabo Number Two (B/A), April 11, GNA - The four Aboabo communities and surrounding towns in the Dormaa District, have banned new distinctive cloth, special 'T' shirts and the presentation of live sheep and other items to in-laws during funerals.

Barima Yeboah-Kodie, Aduanahene of the Dormaa Traditional Area who announced this at a durbar at Aboabo Number Two on Sunday said the measure is to reduce the cost of funerals in the area.

He said one of the causes of the low standard of education in the area is the inability of parents to provide the basic needs of their children. "The only antidote is to reduce the expenditure on funerals to enable parents and guardians to get money and provide their wards with their basic needs and thereby enhance effective teaching and learning in schools".

Barima Yeboah-Kodie said any family, which contravenes the by-law would pay a fine of 300,000 cedis with half the amount going to the area council and the remaining for development.

He said consideration was being given to a proposal to combine funerals and prescribe the type of drinks to be served. Mr Kwadwo Boateng, District Chief Executive, expressed concern about the standard of education and called on teachers, parents and the Ghana Education Service to come together to address the problem.

He said the District Assembly would do everything possible to assist the enforcement of the by-law. The District Chief Executive expressed concern about the indiscriminate destruction of the environment.

Okogyeatuo Kwame Agyeman, Adontehene of the Traditional called on the people to strive to give their wards quality education to enable them to contribute to national development.