The government has cautioned journalists and attendees at Friday’s state funeral for victims of the August 6 helicopter crash to uphold strict decorum, warning against intrusive behavior such as chasing mourners for interviews or obstructing the solemn ceremony.
Deputy Chief of Staff, Stan Dogbe, addressing a press briefing on Thursday, August 14, stressed that media coverage will be fully centralised by the Ghana Armed Forces, making it unnecessary for reporters or individuals to trail family members and dignitaries during the rites.
“The live feed for this programme is being centralised as we’ve done in the past so you can get the live feed from the van or you can also choose to pick the clean feed from the outdoor broadcast channel.We do not want to see tomorrow anybody holding a phone or a monopod and struggling to chase people, chase mourners as they are coming in to sit,,” Mr. Dogbe said.
The state funeral, scheduled for August 15, will combine Christian, Islamic, and military traditions, beginning with scriptural recitals and culminating in the burial of six victims at the military cemetery in Tse Addo.
Authorities emphasised that security measures will be tight and appealed to the public to arrive early and cooperate fully. “We expect that we’ll all comport ourselves, we’ll respect the guidelines. We expect a very high level of decorum and solemnity,” Mr. Dogbe added.
The August 6 crash in Adansi Akrufuom claimed eight lives, with two already buried according to Islamic rites. The remaining six will be laid to rest under full military honours.
