Kpando: The gates of Peace Garden, Ghana's largest private cemetery, slowly opened before me, revealing a tranquil expanse of teak trees spread across more than 25 acres at Kpando in the Volta Region. The serene, well-fenced memorial park offers families a peaceful environment in which to bid their loved ones a final farewell. A short walk through the shaded grounds evokes reflection and raises an important question: Are we separating families in death, or simply providing a dignified resting place where the departed are not overcrowded, disturbed, or forgotten as they await their final resurrection?
According to Ghana News Agency, private cemeteries emerged globally in the 19th century as a response to overcrowded churchyards and public burial grounds. Rapid urbanisation, population growth, and public health concerns led to the establishment of professionally managed garden cemeteries and memorial parks such as Highgate Cemetery in England and P¨re Lachaise Cemetery in France.
Across Africa, burials traditionally took place on family lands, ancestral compounds, and community cemeteries. However, growing urban populations and mounting pressure on public burial grounds since the 1990s have encouraged the development of private memorial parks, including Avalon Memorial Park in South Africa and Lang'ata Cemetery Gardens in Kenya.
In Ghana, most burials before the 1990s occurred in family compounds or public cemeteries. As cities such as Accra and Kumasi expanded, existing burial grounds became increasingly congested, creating demand for professionally managed memorial gardens that offer enhanced security, landscaping, and long-term maintenance.
Notable examples include Gethsemane Memorial Garden, Paradise Rest Garden, Graceland Memorial Gardens, and Heritage Memorial Gardens. In the Volta Region, burial practices remain largely rooted in family and community cemeteries because of strong ancestral traditions, although designated family burial grounds exist in parts of the Keta enclave. Nevertheless, changing lifestyles and urbanisation are gradually creating demand for private memorial parks such as Port Dupade Memorial Garden and Peace Garden.