Sunyani residents want National Day of Mourning for victims of military helicopter crash

By Dennis Peprah/Benjamin Akoto

Sunyani, (Bono), Aug. 6, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama has been urged to declare a day’s National Mourning for the eight people, including the two ministers of state who perished in Wednesday’s military helicopter crash.

The late Dr Edward Omane Boamah, the Minister for Defence, and Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation and six others died in the fatal crash August 6, in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region.  

Accordingly, the government has directed that all national flags be flown at half-mast in honour of the deceased.  

Speaking in a random interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) market women, traders, entrepreneurs and commercial drivers in the Sunyani Business District (CBD) described the helicopter crash and the death of the occupants as a sorrowful moment for Ghana.  

“This is a national tragedy and a day ought to be set aside to mourn and sympathize with the bereaved families,” Mr Charles Odoi, a commercial driver stated, saying “nobody should be allowed to work on that day.”  

In her view, Madam Charity Addae, a trader said: “this is very serious and we must all come together as a nation to mourn the deceased because we have lost great statemen”, adding “a National Day of Mourning is required for us to console the bereaved families”.  

Mr Thomas Osei Akoto, an entrepreneur and a political analyst, indicated that: “Ghana can’t forget this tragic history and we must mourn together and to serve as a memorial”.  

Meanwhile, the news about the helicopter crash has since sent a wave of grief throughout the Municipality.  

Some of the residents told the GNA that they were seriously traumatised by the incident, with Madam Akua Anima, a trader describing it as heart breaking. 

“In fact, the tragedy exposes systemic weaknesses in our logistics and security infrastructure”, Mr Emmanuel Mensah, a teacher stated, and called for reforms in protecting state machinery and usage.  

Mr Kwabena Adu-Gyamfi, a pensioner, said: “I believe that if the government better resourced its security agencies and invested in modern transport monitoring equipment, incidents like this could be prevented or better managed.” 

Some of the residents also called for an independent inquiry into the crash, saying thorough investigation remained essential not only to provide answers to the grieving families, but also to help prevent similar mishaps. 

GNA 
Edited by Christian Akorlie