President John Dramani Mahama has announced the creation of a special fund to support the children of the eight people who lost their lives in the tragic Ghana Air Force helicopter crash on August 6.
The President made the announcement on Tuesday, August 12, while attending the funeral rites of the late Deputy National Security Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna — one of the victims of the crash.
The fatal accident claimed the lives of all eight on board the Harbin Z-9 helicopter, which was travelling to Obuasi in the Ashanti Region for an anti-illegal mining (galamsey) programme. The aircraft went off radar, prompting a search-and-rescue operation that ended in tragedy.
President Mahama said the government’s decision was driven by the need to protect the dependants of the deceased from future hardship, particularly the young children left behind — including a two-month-old baby of military pilot Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala.
“It’s a difficult calamity. If you look at all those who died, they were at the prime of their lives, with children still in school, and some even with infants as young as two months,” the President said. “We must ensure that the absence of the parents does not adversely affect these innocent children.”
The fund, which will be officially launched during a state funeral on Friday, August 15, will be dedicated to supporting the education and welfare of the victims’ children. President Mahama added that members of the public will be given an opportunity to contribute.
Among the high-profile victims were two cabinet ministers — Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah and Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed — as well as Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator; Samuel Aboagye, a former parliamentary candidate; and Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The helicopter crew members who also perished were Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
