Amid
criticisms by Islamic organisations and some residents of the state,
Lagos State governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) yesterday assented to the
controversial cremation bill brought before him by the state House of
Assembly.
The governor, while signing the bill into law in his office in Ikeja, said the cremation law is voluntary, adding that its enactment shows how global the state has become.
Fashola, who commended members of the state assembly for responding to global yearnings, said their disposition also showed that cremation is the best way to go.
Explaining the content of the new law, the Lagos State attorney-general and commissioner for justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, said the law only provides for voluntary cremation.
The Lagos AG pointed out that 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.
Ipaye also explained that the” law now makes it legal for the state government to cremate unclaimed corpses in its mortuaries after a period of time”.
He added that if the owners of the corpse also failed to show up to collect the ashes after a 14-day notice it would be disposed by the state government, subject to the consent and approval of the commissioner for health.
He added that Section 2 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.
According to him, Section 6 of the law stipulates the guidelines for 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.
Ipaye 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.
He further posited 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 governor also signed the bill establishing Ibile Oil and Gas Company and the bill regulating the Christian and Muslim pilgrims’ welfare board into law.
He explained that though the state had laws enacted in the ’80s to regulate the activities of the two boards, the state government decided to harmonize the amendments done on the law over time to make it uniform and effective.
The governor, while signing the bill into law in his office in Ikeja, said the cremation law is voluntary, adding that its enactment shows how global the state has become.
Fashola, who commended members of the state assembly for responding to global yearnings, said their disposition also showed that cremation is the best way to go.
Explaining the content of the new law, the Lagos State attorney-general and commissioner for justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, said the law only provides for voluntary cremation.
The Lagos AG pointed out that 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.
Ipaye also explained that the” law now makes it legal for the state government to cremate unclaimed corpses in its mortuaries after a period of time”.
He added that if the owners of the corpse also failed to show up to collect the ashes after a 14-day notice it would be disposed by the state government, subject to the consent and approval of the commissioner for health.
He added that Section 2 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.
According to him, Section 6 of the law stipulates the guidelines for 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.
Ipaye 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.
He further posited 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 governor also signed the bill establishing Ibile Oil and Gas Company and the bill regulating the Christian and Muslim pilgrims’ welfare board into law.
He explained that though the state had laws enacted in the ’80s to regulate the activities of the two boards, the state government decided to harmonize the amendments done on the law over time to make it uniform and effective.
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