Mortuaries and Funeral Facilities Agency Gives Unlicensed Mortuaries 10 Days to Regularise Operations

The Mortuaries and Funeral Facilities Agency (MoFFA) has given unlicensed mortuary facilities in the Ashanti Region a 10-day ultimatum to regularise their operations or face sanctions.

The directive follows an inspection exercise conducted by the Agency, which uncovered several concerns relating to occupational health and safety, infection prevention, and environmental sanitation at some mortuary facilities.

According to the MoFFA inspection team, the exercise revealed significant lapses in the management and operation of some facilities.

Among the concerns identified were poor infection-prevention practices, occupational health and safety challenges, as well as littering within and around some mortuary compounds.

“Most of the facilities had a lot of challenges regarding occupational health and safety, infection prevention, and also environmental safety,” the inspection team said.

The Agency, however, commended facilities that were found to be complying with the required standards.

“Some of the facilities also did well. We commended them because they were putting infection prevention practices in place, and their environment was also on point,” the team added.

MoFFA has directed facilities operating without the required licence to correct the identified deficiencies and take steps to regularise their operations within 10 days.

“For other facilities that are yet to get a licence to operate, we are giving them ten days to work on it, regularise their actions and meet the requirements needed for them to get the licence to operate,” the Agency stated.

The Agency warned that facilities that fail to comply with the directive within the stipulated period will face legal action.

“For those who don’t comply with the ten days that are given for them to regularise their actions, we would let the law take its course,” it cautioned.

According to MoFFA, offences under the relevant law could attract a penalty of up to 6,000 penalty units, imprisonment for up to three years, or both, subject to the determination of the court.

The Agency has consequently urged all mortuary and funeral facility operators to comply with the required regulatory standards to help protect public health, safety and the environment.