Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has called on Ghanaians to approach the national tragedy of the August 6 military helicopter crash with unity, empathy, and a renewed commitment to the nation’s progress.
Speaking at the Evening of Reflections and Memorials held on Saturday at the Forecourt of the State House, the Vice President delivered a deeply contemplative tribute to the eight individuals who perished in the crash, describing them as patriots who “served their nation and humanity well.”
“They have played their roles and admirably so. They have served their nation and humanity well. How about us?” she asked, challenging the audience to reflect on their own service to Ghana.
The Vice President acknowledged the wide range of emotions being felt across the country; from anger and confusion to grief and eventual acceptance; and noted that the loss had touched not only the victims’ families and colleagues, but also many Ghanaians who never knew them personally.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang anticipated that the tragedy would prompt calls for answers, with many asking, “Why did this happen? Why now? What should we do?” She stressed, however, that this was not the time for political point-scoring, speculation, or blame.
“This is definitely not a time for distasteful gloating over the misfortune, for postulation. This is not a time for apportioning blame. It is a time for sober reflection, of paying attention to detail and to facts,” she said.
She urged that lessons from the incident should be learned and applied to prevent future mishaps, and questioned whether the persistent divisions in Ghanaian society were worth sustaining in the face of shared national loss.
The memorial event formed part of the government’s three-day national mourning period, which began on Thursday, August 7. The solemn occasion brought together government officials, military personnel, political party executives, families of the deceased, and members of the public.
READ: Helicopter crash: Dr. Apaak mourns Omane Boamah, Muntala, six others, calls for probe
Books of condolence will open at key institutions from August 10 – 14, and a state funeral will be held on Friday, August 15 at Black Star Square.
The victims of the crash include Minister for Defence Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Muniru Mohammed, NDC Vice Chairman Samuel Sarpong, NADMO Deputy Director-General Samuel Aboagye, Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
