Stakeholders
in Eziowelle community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State
have protested against the high cost of burial in the area.
They
lamented that the high burial levy imposed by the town union leadership of the
area had made them to leave the dead bodies of their loved ones in mortuaries
for months because they could not afford to bury them.
Some
residents of the community, led by Chief Felix Okafor and Emeka Akukwe,
articulated their grievances on Tuesday at a press conference in Awka, the
state capital.
Okafor
said the leadership of the town imposed a burial levy of N1m on every bereaved
family in the area before they could commence the funeral arrangements of their
loved ones.
“As
a result of this, many families have abandoned their loved ones in the morgues
for months because they are finding the costs too high. So, they have to leave
them in hospital mortuary refrigerators until they can work out how to pay for
the levy.
“The
same way if you have to start the foundation of your house in Eziowelle you
will have to pay first a levy of N1m to the town union before you can
start. Failure to do so, the town union leadership would mobilise thugs to
attack you. This is the type of yoke we are passing through in Eziowelle
community,” he said.
Akukwe
added it was because of the situation that he presented himself as a candidate
in the June 30 town union election, hoping to stop the practices but alleged
that the election was rigged against him.
He
called on the state Governor, Willie Obiano, to save the community from
imminent crisis.
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