The government of Ghana has released detailed plans for the state funeral of the victims of the tragic military helicopter crash on August 6.
The service, scheduled for Friday, August 15, will be a primarily military affair led by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and is expected to draw a large crowd of mourners and dignitaries.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, August 14, Stan Dogbey, the Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations, outlined the three-part funeral program.
Funeral Service Schedule and Details
The service is structured to ensure a solemn and organized event. The pre-burial service will begin at 7:30 a.m. and will feature tributes from institutional partners and colleagues.
President John Dramani Mahama and his Vice are scheduled to arrive at 9:00 a.m. and 8:50 a.m. respectively, at which point the main state service will commence.
The ceremony will last approximately three hours and will include:
- Reading of biographies for the eight departed victims.
- Tributes from widows, children, and senior government officials.
- Quran recitations, as part of the memorial for the deceased.
Post-Service Burial and Public Information
Following the main service, the bodies of the six victims who have not yet been buried will be transported to the military cemetery at Tse Addo for interment. The GAF, in coordination with the respective churches of the deceased, will conduct the burial ceremony.
To manage the expected large number of attendees, Mr. Dogbey provided the following guidelines:
- Early Arrival: The public is encouraged to arrive early to find seating and cooperate with security and protocol officers.
- Security: A significant security presence will be deployed to ensure the safety of all mourners. Attendees driving to the event should be prepared to alight at a designated point and walk to the service area.
- Cemetery Transport: To reduce traffic, buses have been arranged to transport the families of the victims to the cemetery.
Media Accreditation
Mr. Dogbey also clarified the media arrangements for the funeral. He stated that only journalists and media houses who have been officially accredited will be allowed into the inner perimeter. This special media zone is reserved exclusively for photographers and video camera holders. Reporters without cameras will not be granted access to this area.
The burial ceremony for the two Muslim victims of the crash, Alhaji Dr. Ibrahim Muhammed Murtala and Alhaji Muniru Limuna Mohammed, was held on Sunday, August 10, in accordance with Islamic tradition. The state funeral on Friday will honor the remaining six victims, ensuring the nation can bid a final farewell to all those lost in the tragedy.
