Deputy Chief of Staff, Stanislav Xoese Dogbe, has issued a pointed reminder to members of the media and all accredited personnel to uphold decorum and refrain from disruptive behaviour particularly the chasing of mourners.
Addressing the media on preparations and guidelines ahead of the event, Mr Dogbe appealed for restraint from media practitioners, particularly those who will be granted access to the inner perimeter.
His warning was clear: do not disrupt proceedings by chasing mourners with phones and monopods.
“We expect that we will all comport ourselves, we will respect the guidelines,” Mr Dogbe said.
“We do not want to see tomorrow anybody holding a phone or a monopod and struggling to chase people, chase mourners as they are coming in to come and sit down.”
The Deputy Chief of Staff emphasised that the nature of the event demanded the highest level of solemnity and decorum.
Any behaviour that distracts from the purpose of the ceremony, he noted, would be inappropriate and unacceptable.
“We expect a very high level of decorum and solemnity tomorrow morning,” he stated.
He also urged all those with media accreditation to ensure they arrive well ahead of time to complete technicalities for the funeral service before the 7:30 a.m.
“If you are given an accreditation to be in the inner perimeter, do well to come in early and check your audio and make sure that you have the required audio feed that you need and then also check on the TV feed to make sure that you are okay before the service starts at about 7:30,” the Deputy Chief of Staff noted.
The three-hour ceremony, according to Stan Dogbe will include the reading of biographies for the victims of the crash, along with tributes from their widows, children, government officials, and representatives of various institutions.
Those to be laid to rest on August 15 are Dr Edward Omane Boamah, Dr Samuel Sarpong, Mr Samuel Aboagye, Squadron Leader Peter Baafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manaen Twum Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
Two of the victims, Alhaji Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed and Alhaji Muniru Mohammed Limuna were laid to rest on Sunday, August 10, in line with Islamic funeral traditions.
After the service, the remains of six of the victims will be conveyed to the military cemetery at Tse Addo for burial, with interment rites jointly conducted by the Ghana Armed Forces and the respective churches of the deceased.
The funeral is expected to attract government officials, dignitaries, and hundreds of mourners as the nation bids farewell to a distinguished figure.
The tragic helicopter crash on Wednesday, August 6, in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region, claimed eight lives in total.
