Under the weight of collective grief, Ghana will gather at the Black Star Square today to bid a final, dignified farewell to the remaining six of the eight patriots whose lives were tragically cut short on August 6, 2025 in the military helicopter crash.
The state funeral, set for 8:00 a.m., represents not just a ceremony, but a national embrace of families shattered by loss and a testament to unity in heartbreak.
A 90-minute pre-burial service for the six, scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m., will pave the way for relevant rituals towards the burial of the six at the Military Cemetery in Accra, five days after the burials of the Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, and the acting Deputy National Security Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, in accordance with Islamic protocols.
Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations, Stanislav Xoese Dogbe, at a media briefing in Accra yesterday, said the military-led ceremony would be conducted with full respect and adherence to protocols, given the expected large crowds.
He also assured of heavy security deployment to ensure law and order.
Mr Dogbe indicated that the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, had directed that all donations from institutions to the government in support of the funeral service should be shared equally among the families of the eight deceased persons.
Traffic protocols
On traffic control, the Director of Research, Education and Training at the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Department, Chief Superintendent Alexander Kwaku Obeng, said key access routes leading to the Independence Square would be managed to prevent congestion.
As a gesture of inclusion, the public was invited to contribute tributes for an official state funeral brochure, with submissions closing last Wednesday at noon.
Thousands of messages, from schoolchildren to traditional leaders, flooded the dedicated email ([email protected]), weaving a tapestry of national gratitude.
Eight lights extinguished
The victims, whose coffins will be draped in the national colours, represent a cross-section of Ghana’s dedicated public service and military excellence.
Preparations underway at the Black Star Square for the national mourning programme
They include Dr Edward Omane Boamah, a physician-turned-statesman driving military modernisation; Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, a fierce advocate against illegal mining en route to an anti-galamsey mission when disaster struck; and Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, a quiet strategist revered for crisis management.
Samuel Sarpong, a former Ashanti Regional Minister and a Vice-Chairman of the governing party, was known for bridge-building, and Samuel Aboagye, a parliamentary candidate in the 2024 elections and a Deputy Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation, praised for grassroots pragmatism, are among the martyred.
Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manaen Twum Ampadu, the co-pilot, and Sergeant Ernest Addo-Mensah were the Air Force crew whose vigilance safeguarded countless missions.
Journey interrupted
The Harbin Z-9EH helicopter departed Kotoka International Airport at 9:12 a.m. on August 6, bound for Obuasi where the delegation was to represent President Mahama at an anti-illegal mining forum.
Rows of chairs for dignitaries and invited guests
Minutes later, it vanished from radar before crashing into the forested hills of Adansi Akrofuom.
A post-impact fire left the victims unrecognisable, necessitating DNA analysis in South Africa for identification, a grim detail underscoring the tragedy’s brutality.
Ghana’s three days of national mourning saw flags fly at half-mast and books of condolence opened at ministries, military facilities and the NDC headquarters.
The global community, including the UN, African Union, UK, Germany, and Pope Leo, expressed solidarity, reflecting the victims’ international stature.
Muslim burial rites for Dr Murtala Muhammed and Alhaji Limuna were conducted last Sunday at Accra’s Military Cemetery, led by the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu.
Their early burial, in accordance with Islamic tradition, deepened the week’s emotional gravity.
As families seek closure, President John Dramani Mahama confirmed that a transparent military investigation was underway, with the recovered flight recorder, commonly called black box, pivotal to understanding the crash.