The only public cemetery in the Volta regional capital of Ho, has been closed down for lack of space, Starr News has learnt.

The facility located behind the Ho Polyclinic along the Ho-Kpetoe road has been the burial ground for both indigenes and non-indigenes as well the various religious denominations in Ho for more than five decades.

Confirming the closure to Starr news’ Lambert Atsivor, Samuel Hanson Galley, the Ho Municipal Environmental Health Officer, said the action was necessary to safeguard public safety and also prevent further encroachment into private lands around the cemetery.

“We envisaged this situation few years ago and efforts by the assembly to secure another land is yet to materialized. But now we have no option than to close it down. Because we’re even encroaching on other people’s lands which is creating problems for us,” he stated.

According to Mr. Galley, families who apply to the assembly for burial permit are advised to search for burial space in nearby communities, whiles non-indigenes are to take their deceased relatives to their hometowns for burial.

When contacted, the Ho Municipal Chief Executive, Mrs. Fafa Adinyira said the assembly is consulting other stakeholders, including the traditional authorities to find a solution to the situation.

She told Starr news a search committee put together by the assembly has not been able to locate any land space within Ho for use as cemetery, hence the need to deliberate with the custodians of the land to address the challenge.

“It has become difficult getting land in Ho for other development projects, left alone for use as cemetery. So we want to meet the stakeholders especially the chiefs to find a way forward. There are lands available in the adjourning communities such as, Sokode, Takla, Adaklu and others which we can secure for that purpose but decision must be taken with the stakeholders,” Mr. Adinyira told Starr news.