The nation yesterday united in grief and remembrance in honour of the victims of the helicopter crash, one year after the tragedy claimed the lives of officials, politicians and three servicemen.
Solemnity filled the Ohene Konadu Auditorium of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), as families of the deceased, senior government officials and members of the security services gathered to honour the men whose lives ended while on service to the nation.
Many mourners sat with bowed heads, while Christian and Muslim prayers were said, and hymns echoed through the hall, reflecting both the pain of the tragic loss and the gratitude of a nation for their sacrifices.
Held on the theme, “Lives of Service, Legacies of Sacrifice”, the interfaith memorial service at the UPSA Auditorium brought together Christian and Muslim leaders, who offered prayers for the peaceful rest of the departed and comfort for the bereaved families.
President John Dramani Mahama and the Vice-President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, graced the event, joined by service chiefs of the various security services, members of the diplomatic corps, political leaders and government officials.
The tragedy
The victims died on August 6, last year, when a Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 helicopter crashed in the Adansi Akrofuom District in the Ashanti Region. The helicopter was en route to Obuasi when it went down on that fateful morning, leaving the nation in shock and mourning.
The crash claimed the lives of the Minister of Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah; the Minister of Environment; Science and Technology; Alhaji Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed; acting Deputy National Security Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna; Samuel Sarpong, a former Ashanti Regional Minister and a Vice-Chairman of the governing party, and Samuel Aboagye, a Deputy Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation.
The service men were the pilot, Wing Commander Peter Bafemi Anala, Flt Lt Manaen Twum Ampadu, the co-pilot, and Flight Sergeant Ernest Addo-Mensah.
Interfaith ceremony
After the national anthem, Lt Col (Rev. Fr) Ben Effah offered a Christian prayer to open proceedings, followed by an Islamic invocation from the Resident Imam of the National Mosque, Kanda, Imam Muktar Imam Abass, setting the tone for the interfaith rites of the gathering.
The QIC Choir and the Militant Triumphant Choir (MTC) ministered songs intermittently throughout the service, their harmonies echoing through the auditorium and stirring deep emotions among the congregants.
The spokesperson of the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, delivered a Quranic recitation, exhortation and Islamic prayer before Bible readings followed, with Sqn Ldr (Rev.) R. Asiedu-Perdison reading from Hebrews 11:1-4, while the Presidential Advisor and Special Aide to the President, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, read from Mark 16:42-45.
The congregation joined in the hymn "Master, Speak! Thy Servant Heareth," before the Director-General of Religious Affairs of the Ghana Armed Forces, Brigadier General (Apostle Dr) Benjamin Godson Kumi-Woode, mounted the podium to deliver the sermon, titled "Message of Hope and Legacy."
Families’ emotional tributes
The most poignant moment of the service came when family representatives took turns to deliver memorial reflections, each sharing intimate glimpses of the lives of their loved ones.
Charles Ohene Oti spoke on behalf of the Omane Boamah family, while Percy Anala honoured the memory of Wing Commander Anala, the pilot of the helicopter.
Lt (GN) Ewuradjoa Kumi-Kyereme paid tribute to his departed husband, Flt Lt Twum Ampadu, while Mercy Amoah reflected on the life of Flt Sergeant Addo-Mensah.
The son of Alhaji Limuna, Kasha Ridwan Limuna, spoke movingly of the enduring impact his father had on countless lives.
"Everywhere we go, people tell us of his kindness, compassion and just by the life he lived he created many families for us beyond our own," he said, his voice trembling with emotion as he reflected on a year without his father.
Prof. Rufai Haruna Kilu represented the Murtala Muhammed family, and described the man whose leadership, he said "was beyond titles but rather clothed in compassion and true service."
Emmanuel Paapa Sarpong spoke for the Sarpong family, while Angelina Salami honoured the memory of Samuel Aboagye.
Following the family tributes, Brigadier General (Apostle Dr) Kumi-Woode led a Prayer of Remembrance before reading the Roll of Honour.
A profound one-minute silence enveloped the auditorium as the nation paused to remember the eight fallen heroes.
Interfaith prayers followed, with Very Rev. Fr Ebenezer Akesseh praying for the families, the Moderator of the Methodist Church of Ghana, Rt Rev. Dr Asamoah Gydedu, praying for the nation, and Imam Abass offering prayers for the security services.
President leads tribute renditions
In his national memorial address, President Mahama described the tragedy as one that "touched the conscience of an entire nation," recalling the moment Ghanaians received the news exactly one year ago.
"Some tragedies are borne quietly within families and communities; others touch the conscience of an entire nation.
This was one such tragedy," the President said.
"The silence that followed that announcement was unlike any other.
It was a silence filled with disbelief, grief and countless unanswered questions. It feels just like yesterday; all of us can remember that moment and exactly what we were doing."
The President stressed that the gathering was not to "relive that pain, but to give it meaning."
"A country that forgets those who serve, slowly forgets the values on which it is built. Memory, therefore, is not simply about looking backwards; it is an act of national character and value.
It affirms that sacrifices matter, that service is honoured, and that lives dedicated to the nation will never disappear into the shadows of history," President Mahama stated.
The President paid tribute to the eight victims, noting they came from different backgrounds and professions but were bound by a shared calling.
He said they left behind unfinished conversations, appointments they meant to keep and families they expected to return to.
“This is a reminder that life is fragile and tomorrow is never guaranteed,” he said.
Dignitaries pay respects
Present at the service were the Chief of Staff, Dr Julius Debrah, the Senior Advisor to the President on Governmental Affairs, Dr Valerie Sawyerr, and the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the Deputy Minister of Defence, Ernest Brogya Genfi, and other party bigwigs.
Also in attendance were Ministers and Deputy Ministers of State, Senior Ministers, Members of the Judiciary, the Council of State, Members of Parliament and the Diplomatic Corps.
Call for stronger institutions
The President used the occasion to call for reflection among leaders, stating that "every decision we make in public life, every public office, is ultimately a sacred trust."
