SDA church bans wreaths at funerals

Sepaase (Ash), Sept 2, GNA - The Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) Church has banned wreaths at the burial of members as a measure to reduce the high cost of funerals in the country.

Also banned by the Church are some aspects of customary rites such as burying the dead with valuables like gold, pieces of cloths and cash. Pastor Samuel Adonie Essien of the Central Ghana Conference of the Church said the decision to ban these items was taken at its leaders council meeting in April at Agona in the Afigya-Sekyere District.

Addressing members of the Abuakwa branch of the Church at Sepaase in the Atwima District at their first camp meeting on Sunday, Pastor Essien said the church had realised that there was too much emphasis on buying expensive wreaths and extravagance at funerals that was drawing a lot of people into debts.