We don't have a problem with dancing pallbearers, we have a problem when the body falls - Mortuaries Agency CEO

The Chief Executive Officer of the Mortuaries and Funeral Facilities Agency, Dr. Yaw Twerefour, has expressed concerns regarding the recent showmanship and dancing exhibited by pallbearers during funeral processions.

While he doesn't take issue with the dancing itself, he emphasizes that there is a problem when the body falls or the casket drops, considering it a disregard and disrespect for the deceased.

Dr. Twerefour also called for the licensing of pallbearers in the country, stressing the importance of ensuring professionalism in their services.

In an interview with GTV’s Breakfast Show, Dr. Yaw Twerefour said, "The Agency does not have a problem with dancing alongside the deceased, but we have a problem when the body falls or the casket drops," he remarked.

Dr. Twerefour explained that the agency is particularly concerned about incidents involving the falling of dead bodies and caskets, which he considers a criminal offense under the criminal code, as it constitutes desecration of bodies.

He further noted that the agency is also in dispute over how morticians (corpse dressers) decorate and display dead bodies during funeral processions. Recent developments have shown that some dead bodies are designed and decorated according to their professions or jobs, which Dr. Twerefour finds objectionable.

"We do not support the kind of burial where the display depicts the profession of the deceased. Such cases should be reported to the agency for appropriate action," he added.

According to him, the Mortuaries and Funeral Facilities Agency is available to address the concerns of bereaved individuals who feel that their deceased relatives' bodies were not properly preserved at the morgue.

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