 |
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN)
|
By Gboyega Akinsanmi
Despite the protracted controversy that trailed its passage
by the House of Assembly, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN),
Monday assented to a bill legalising cremation of bodies in the state.
He also signed into law, two other bills seeking to
establish Ibile Oil and Gas Corporation as well as Christian and Muslim
Pilgrims Welfare Board, both of which he said were designed to add values to
the state and its residents.
The governor signed the bills into law at a ceremony at the
State House, Alausa, attended by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for
Justice, Mr. Adeola Ipaye, his Energy and Mineral Resources counterpart, Mr.
Taofik Tijani, and other members of the State Executive Council.
Before signing the bill into law, the governor explained
that cremation was voluntary, adding that its enactment showed how the concept
of globalisation had taken its roots in the state.
The governor commended members of the state House of
Assembly for responding to global yearnings, thereby noting that their
enthusiasm in passing the law also showed that cremation “is the best way to
go”.
On the laws establishing Ibile Oil and Gas Company and
regulating the Christian and Muslims Pilgrims’ Welfare Board, Fashola said
though the state had laws enacted in the 80s to regulate the activities of the
two boards, the state government decided to harmonise the amendments done on
the laws over time to make them uniform and effective.
Speaking extensively on the cremation law, the attorney-general
said it allowed only voluntary cremation, adding: “It allows for voluntary cremation, whereby a
person may signify interest to be cremated when he dies or a deceased’s family
members who must attain the age of 18 years can decide to have the corpse
cremated.”
According to Ipaye, the law also empowers the state
government to cremate unclaimed corpses in its mortuaries after a period of
time.
“If the owners of the corpses also failed to show up to
collect the ashes after a 14-day notice, it will be disposed by the state
government subject to the consent and approval of the commissioner for health,”
he added.
He explained that section 2 of the Act stipulates that no
cremation may take place except in a crematorium established by the Ministry of
Health or by any other body upon the recommendation of the authority and
approval by the commissioner for health.
Section 6 of the law also stipulates the guidelines to
getting permission to cremate and lists those who could apply for permission to
cremate to include a child or children of the deceased; a close relative of the
deceased; an undertaker and an agent/legal representative.
He said Section 10 of the law states that the cremator in
charge of a crematorium must not dispose of the ashes remaining after a
cremation except in accordance with any reasonable written instructions of the
applicant.
Ipaye affirmed that the cremator in charge may bury the
ashes in a burial ground if, “within one year after the cremation, the
applicant does not give reasonable written instructions for the disposal of the
ashes”.
The state assembly had passed the bill into law in December
last year amid criticisms from groups and individuals who argued that the law
is a violation of the people’s cultural and religious beliefs.
The bill, which is a private member bill, was initiated by
the Chairman, House Committee on Health Services, Suuru Avoseh, a member
representing Badagry Constituency 2 at the assembly.
No comments:
Post a Comment