Opinion leaders from Mpeasem, Brimsu, Asinadze and Tayido in the Cape Coast Metropolis have threatened to shut down the Asokyiano Cemetery, the only public cemetery serving the Cape Coast Metropolitan area, over concerns about public health and environmental safety.
The community leaders claim the cemetery has reached full capacity and allege that burials are now being conducted close to roadsides, raising fears of possible health risks and disease outbreaks.
Speaking to the news team, Ebusuapanyin Nana Abekombe and Chairman of the Brimsu Development Committee, Joseph Morgue Eduaful, said they would close down the cemetery by the end of June 2026 if authorities fail to address their concerns.
According to them, several attempts to engage the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly over the issue have not yielded any positive response.
The opinion leaders are therefore calling on the Assembly to relocate the cemetery from the area and engage them in finding a lasting solution.
They further explained that residents living around the cemetery are unable to drill boreholes because institutions including the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), and Ghana Water Limited reportedly consider the groundwater in the area unsafe for human consumption.
According to them, this situation has created water challenges for residents, especially during periods of water shortages.
They also alleged that two sachet water production companies operating in the area were shut down due to the cemetery’s proximity, resulting in the loss of employment opportunities for some residents.
Some youth in the communities also pledged their support for the planned action, insisting that they could no longer allow burials to continue at the cemetery under the current conditions.
According to them, there have been instances where skeletal remains of dead bodies were seen within the cemetery area, raising further concerns among residents.
The youth called on families intending to bury relatives to consider alternative burial locations if authorities fail to engage community leaders and address the issue before the stated deadline.
Foreign Affairs Ministry to cancel incomplete passport applications after two months
