The Ghanaian Government has set up a task force to investigate the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of two ministers and six other public officials on Wednesday.
Among the crash victims were the Minister of Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, the Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Alhaji Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, and the acting Deputy National Security Coordinator, Alhaji Muniru Mohammed Limuna.
Local media reports quoted the Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, Shamima Muslim, as saying that the task force is expected to establish the facts surrounding the incident.
“There’s also a task force to investigate what has happened,” she said. “I think clear communication of what has happened would ease the burden on the hearts of many. We will communicate around the clock on various developments,” she said.
According to her, the Presidential Planning Committee was already in touch with the bereaved families and had started coordinating memorial and funeral arrangements in line with national mourning protocols.
Meanwhile, the Presidency has declared three days of national mourning, during which Ghana’s national flag is to be flown at half-mast across all public buildings, while President John Dramani Mahama has also suspended all official engagements for the rest of the week.
The deputy presidential spokesperson disclosed that President Mahama was deeply affected by the tragedy and that two of the deceased officials were close associates of the President.
GIK/APA