Retired military officer and security analyst, Col. Festus Aboagye, has strongly criticised Ghana’s emergency response system following the August 6 military helicopter crash that claimed eight lives, including Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.
Speaking in an interview, Col. Aboagye expressed deep concern over what he described as the undignified handling of the victims’ remains reportedly transported in cocoa sacks instead of proper body bags.
“For the sake of dignity, someone from national security should have stepped in to say, ‘We’ve secured the remains. Can we get decent material at least body bags or even polythene coverings?’” he said.
“If someone who has served their country is carried away in a cocoa sack, what message does that send?”
Col. Aboagye drew parallels with the 2022 Appiatse explosion, describing it as another example of the country’s poor disaster response and lack of preparedness.
He warned that such actions not only disrespect the dead but traumatise the living especially families who may witness such scenes.
“Imagine a child of one of the victims seeing their father being carried like that what would they feel? It sends a message that their parent’s service meant nothing.”
He called for the urgent establishment of a coordinated national emergency response system that ensures both efficiency and respect for human dignity during crises.
