<<Print>>

Activities of Ebola and Cholera scaremongers have led to a massive reduction in funeral attendance in some area in the Ga West Municipality. The reduction, has also led to bereaved families losing significant monetary contributions to offset their funeral expenditures. The Assemblyman for the Akotoshie Electoral Area, Maclean Yevu confirmed that, Ebola and cholera scaremongers had ruined funerals of some bereaved families. He said the scaremongers often triggered vile rumours, to the effect that, the person whose funeral was about to be observed, died from Ebola or cholera, without preferring any evidence. The Assemblyman said, naturally, the scare had led to so many people staying away from funerals, especially where the deceased would be laid in state during a wake keeping. He said people believed that, they would also contract the diseases if they attended the funerals. Losses In an interview with some heads of bereaved families, The Spectator was told of financial losses and misery they had gone through. The head of Sodzi family at Sabanman village, Andrew Kodzo Sodzi, said, even though he lost his son through a motor accident last month, the scaremongers turned away people from the funeral. He said large quantities of food prepared for about 400 guests went to waste because people did not turn up to make funeral donations. Mr. Sodzi said, chairs, and musical instruments were also hired at great cost. He said the family incurred a total debt of GH1, 400. The situation was the same in five other villages like Gakorpe, Ahiabukorpe, Akotoshie No. 1, Galekorpe, and Ewukorpe. Bereaved families incurred funeral debts of GH400, GH1, 000, GH800, due to the activities of scaremongers. At Gakorpe, Joseph Laryea said the family incurred a GH400 debt as a result of scaremongers. He said the debt came as a result of the food, musical instruments and chairs the family hired. Segbedzi family at Ahiabukorpe said they incurred a debt of GH 1000 when their relative died recently. He said the funeral attendance was so poor that, chairs and food prepared for invited guests went to waste. At Akotosie No. 1, the Ahiable family is reeling under a GH800 funeral debt they incurred as a result of poor attendance. The Megbede for family at Gotekorpe said they incurred a debt of GH 1,800, when food prepared for invited guests were left unconsumed because people did not turn up for the funeral in their numbers as expected. The elaborate preparations for the funeral of a relative at Ewukorpe last week also left the Dzorkoto Gligui family with GH2, 400 debts, because of scaremongers. The family said because their deceased relative was a sub chief, and so many people were expected to attend the funeral, money was borrowed to prepare food and buy drinks, but scaremongers prevented people from attending. Health Interventions When The Spectator contacted the Ga West Municipal Chief Executive Sam Atukwei Quaye on Thursday, he said the Assembly had made a lot of interventions to curb the cholera outbreak. He said the Assmebly had intensified community mobilization and sensitization for cleanliness and charged all this six zonal councils to monitor it. Sam Atukwkie Quaye said the Assembly was prevailing on households to register with garbage collectors for bins, adding that, those who failed to do so were prosecuted at sanitation courts. He said food vendors are also being certified to ensure that, they sell only healthy food to the public. Sam Atukwei Quaye said communities which did not have potable water were being supplied with drinking water by water tankers. He said the assembly had taken a decision not to approved building permits unless they had toilet facilities in them. Cholera cases in the Greater Accra Region had reached a total of over 9,000 cases with about 95 fatalities, as at the end of August. The Regional Disease Control officer at the Greater Accra Regional Health Directorate Dr. Ato Ashong said, the disease outbreaks kept increasing with about 1,000 infections every week. The Ga West Municipal area had recorded over 500 cases with eight deaths. Cholera is a disease caused by a bacteria called Vibro Cholera. A person could easily contract the disease when he or she eats food or drinks water contaminated by the bacteria. The Spectator