The Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly (KoKMA) has suspended all burials at the Osu Cemetery with immediate effect after reports of illegal exhumations, desecration of human remains, and the unauthorised sale of burial plots.
Announcing the decision at a press conference on Thursday, February 5, 2026, Municipal Chief Executive Alfred Ato Allotey-Gaisie described the alleged activities as criminal and deeply offensive.
“We have taken notice of the disturbing reports and magnified complaints regarding the illegal and unethical activities and procedures, including the unlawful excavation of graves, desecration of human remains and the unauthorised sale of burial sites to grieving and unsuspecting families,” Allotey-Gaisie stated.
“All burials at Osu Cemetery are hereby put on hold. They will be put on hold for the next two months,” he declared.
The two-month suspension will allow the Assembly to conduct a full audit of burial records and permits, verify documentation, and restructure cemetery management to address systemic weaknesses, prevent future abuses, and curb security and financial irregularities.
Although the ban affects the general public, the MCE indicated that burials for indigenes may be permitted under exceptional and tightly controlled arrangements.
Allotey-Gaisie condemned the alleged acts, noting that they are not only criminal but also deeply offensive to Ghanaian moral and cultural sensibilities.
To secure the cemetery during the suspension, additional security personnel will be deployed, while the Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit has been tasked to intensify sanitisation, sensitisation, and monitoring efforts.
“These measures are intended to prevent further illegal access, grave desecration and unauthorised activities within the cemetery premises,” he added.
The move follows heightened public concern over the management of the Osu Cemetery, one of Accra’s oldest burial grounds, after repeated complaints of grave tampering and plot resale.
KoKMA has assured the public that the temporary closure will help restore order, accountability, and integrity, as investigations into the alleged malpractices continue.
