The Anambra State House of Assembly has passed a bill for a law banning expensive funeral ceremonies in the state.
The law also prohibited the destruction of property, firing of gunshots, praise singing and blocking of roads and streets during burial ceremonies in the state.
“In the event of death, no person shall deposit any corpse in the mortuary or any place beyond two months from the date of death, while burial ceremonies shall be for one day only,” a section of the law read.
“From the commencement of the law, no person shall subject any relation of the deceased person to a mourning period of more than one week from the date of the burial ceremony,” another section of the law read.
The law further states that during burial and funeral ceremonial activities, the family of the deceased “shall provide food for their kindred, relatives and other sympathizers at their own discretion”.
According to the sponsor of the bill and member representing Anaocha 11 constituency, Chief Charles Ezeani, the law would protect family members from exorbitant amounts spent on burying their loved ones.
He further disclosed that the law has made provision for a monitoring and implementation committee that would enforce it.