The Lagos State Government has prohibited the use of residential premises as morgues, embalmment centres and burial sites. 

This, according to the government, is to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases in the state.

The Executive Secretary of Lagos State Law Reform Commission, Ade Adeyemo, on Wednesday, said that the prohibition had become necessary as part of measures to adjust to the 21st Century reality of preventing infectious diseases.

She explained that the commission arrived at the adopted measures after careful consideration and review of laws that address the immediate and peculiar needs of Lagosians at every point in time.

Adeyemo noted that the coronavirus and the need to prevent a second wave of the disease necessitated the review. 

According to her, the Law Reform Commission is saddled with the responsibility of reviewing and reforming laws to effect necessary changes to make them more modern, fair, just, efficient, accessible and bring them following the prevailing social and moral values of society. She said, “The commission, after review, found it expedient to ensure that the Lagos State Public Health Law was expanded to include present-day disease outbreaks like the Ebola, Lassa fever, and other infectious diseases.

“The very first compendium of laws in the state was the 1973 Laws of Lagos State which was a merger of the laws that existed in the former Federal Territory of Lagos and those of Former Western Nigeria. The present Law Reform Commission evolved out of the short term State Law Review Committees/Commissions saddled with the responsibilities of previous law reforms.”