Dignified Farewell: Full Military Service for Helicopter Victims at Black Star Square

Accra, Ghana – 14 August, 2025 – The government of Ghana has announced the details of the state funeral for the eight victims of the August 6 helicopter crash in Adansi Akrufuom. The ceremony, scheduled for Friday, August 15, 2025, will be a full military service conducted by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

According to Deputy Chief of Staff Stan Dogbey, the funeral will be held in three parts:

1. Bible and Qur’an Recitals: The ceremony will begin with recitals from the Bible and the Qur’an, paying respects to the victims and their families.

2. Main Service: The main service will feature the reading of biographies of all eight crash victims, tributes from widows, children, government officials, and institutional representatives.

3. Burial: Following the service, the remains of six victims will be transported to the military cemetery at Tse Addo for interment.

Schedule and Attendance

The pre-burial program will start at 7:30 a.m. and end at 9:00 a.m. Key dignitaries expected to attend include:

- Vice President: Expected to arrive at 8:50 a.m.

- President John Dramani Mahama: Expected to arrive at 9:00 a.m. to commence the state service.

The three-hour ceremony will be a somber occasion, with government officials, institutional representatives, and family members paying their respects to the victims.

The victims to be buried on August 15 include:

- Dr. Edward Omane Boamah

- Dr. Samuel Sarpong

- Mr. Samuel Aboagye

- Squadron Leader Peter Baafemi Anala

- Flying Officer Manaen Twum Ampadu

- Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah

Two victims, Alhaji Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed and Alhaji Muniru Mohammed Limuna, were buried on Sunday, August 10, in accordance with Islamic customs.

Security Protocols

At a media briefing this morning,Deputy Chief of Staff Stan Dogbey has urged the public to arrive early and comply with security protocols in place for the event.

Source – Lead News Online/Jones Opoku