The Government has announced a series of national activities to commemorate the first anniversary of the military helicopter crash that claimed the lives of eight prominent Ghanaians on August 6, 2025.
The programme, unveiled by the Presidency, is intended to honour the memory of the victims, described by government as the “Departed Eight”, while offering continued support to their bereaved families.
According to the statement, the commemorative events began on Thursday, July 30, 2026, with the official presentation of state support to the families of the deceased.
Government said the anniversary provides an opportunity for the nation to “pause to remember, honour and pay tribute to the selflessness, service and sacrifice” of the eight victims.
The activities have been planned in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence, key stakeholders and alumni groups.
A major event on the programme is the Dr Edward Omane Boamah Memorial Lecture, scheduled for Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at the Burma Hall in Burma Camp, Accra. The lecture, organised jointly by the Ministry of Defence and the Pope John Senior High School Old Boys Association (POJOBA), will begin at 2:00 p.m. and is open to the public.
On Thursday, August 6, a National Inter-Faith Memorial Service will be held at the UPSA Auditorium in Madina, Accra, beginning at 8:30 a.m.
President John Dramani Mahama, Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, and Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, who also chairs the Armed Forces Council, are expected to attend the service.
Later the same day, the Ministry of Defence will unveil a memorial cenotaph at a ceremony scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Attendance at that event will be by invitation.
The commemoration will conclude on Saturday, August 7, with a nationwide blood donation exercise dubbed “Service to the Soul.”
Government said the humanitarian initiative is intended to replenish blood stocks across the country while serving as a lasting tribute to those who lost their lives in the crash.
The exercise will take place at district, regional and teaching hospitals nationwide, as well as the 37 Military Hospital and other designated centres.
The Presidency has appealed to Ghanaians, religious organisations, civil society groups, media houses and the general public to participate in the commemorative activities, particularly the nationwide blood donation campaign.
“The loss of these eight noble individuals remains a deeply painful chapter in our nation’s history. However, their spirit of dedication to duty must continue to inspire us as a people,” the statement said.
Government further urged citizens to honour the memory of the victims through prayer, national unity and acts of service, while continuing to support the families they left behind.
For more news, join The Chronicle Newspaper channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBSs55E50UqNPvSOm2z
