President John Mahama has pledged government support for the children of the eight Ghanaians who perished in the August 6 helicopter crash in the Ashanti Region, assuring that their future will not be left uncertain.
Speaking at the funeral rites of the late Deputy National Security Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, President Mahama said the state will take measures to safeguard the education and welfare of the victims’ children, including the two-month-old baby of Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, the pilot of the ill-fated aircraft.
He noted that the loss had robbed the nation of individuals in the prime of their lives, many of whom were responsible for young families.
“It’s a difficult calamity, because if you look at all those who died, they were at the prime of their lives and had so much responsibility. Children still in school and some even with infants as young as two months. The pilot’s child is, he has a child two months old. And these responsibilities are what we have to take up to make sure that the absence of the parents does not adversely affect the innocent children,” he said.
The President announced that the details of a special fund to support the dependents will be made public at a state funeral for all eight victims on Friday, August 15, allowing individuals and organisations to contribute towards their upbringing.
The August 6 tragedy claimed the lives of Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Environment Minister Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, NDC Vice Chairman Dr. Samuel Sarpong, former parliamentary candidate Samuel Aboagye, Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
Two of the deceased, both Muslims, were laid to rest on August 10 at the Military Cemetery in Accra in accordance with Islamic rites.
The state funeral on August 15 will be preceded by public tributes to honour their service to the nation.
