The wife and the family of Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, the pilot of the Z-9 military helicopter that crashed in the Ashanti Region last Wednesday, yesterday laid a wreath in honour of all eight victims.
The widow displayed admirable bravery when she appeared in the company of close family relations to perform the solemn rite at the Presidential Garden at the Jubilee House in Accra.
Within that sobering space, dozens of individuals and institutions also showed up to pay tribute to the memory of the two ministers of state, a Deputy National Security Coordinator, a Deputy Director of NADMO, a Vice-Chairman of the governing party and the three crew members.
They included the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG), Cargill Ghana Limited, the Ghana Olympic Committee, the Ghana Health Service, the National Peace Council, the Bui Power Authority, and the Director and Staff of Parks and Gardens.
Others were the Judicial Service Staff Association, the RTI Commission, the National Development Planning Commission, the Public Services Commission, a missionary, Michael Davies, and Jesus Rescue Team.
The rest were Pastor Deborah Hong, Sungpok Mission, Korea; Bishop Victor Osei, the Private Enterprises Federation, the Association of Ghana Industries, and the Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors.
Tributes
The AAG expressed sorrow over the loss of the victims in the line of duty, describing the incident as a devastating blow to the nation, its leadership, and people.
The President of AAG, Andrew Ackah, said: “This is not about politics, it is about service to the nation. Whatever the thumbprints and footprints these men have left in the sands of time, we should all pick them up and use them for the greater good of all citizens.”
The management and the staff of AGI also pledged their support for the government’s efforts to combat illegal mining.
The President of the association, Humphrey Kwesi Ayim Darke, said there was a need to provide alternative job opportunities and leverage digital programmes to comprehensively address the issue.
“We are providing alternative job opportunities, which is one of the key ways to prevent young men from going down the pits. Our doors are open to help create sustainable sources of income,” he added.
For her part, the Vice-Chairman of the Public Services Commission (PSC), Dr Stella Agyenim-Boateng, said: “We are here representing the entire public service to pay tribute to our fallen heroes.”
She emphasised the importance of unity and mutual care, urging the public to accept the recommendations and implementation of the committee investigating the incident once it was made public.
Punishment
The Private Enterprise Federation, on the other hand, called for drastic measures to combat illegal mining in the country.
The Chief Executive Officer of the federation, Nana Osei Bonsu, urged Parliament to enact legislation that would impose either the death penalty or life imprisonment on offenders, along with the forfeiture of all assets acquired through such activities.
He announced plans to petition the Speaker of Parliament to enact the law within eight days to symbolically align with the timeline of the eight lives that were lost in the crash.
