The widow of the late Deputy Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Samuel Aboagye, has urged Ghanaians to honour the memory of the eight officials who died in last year’s military helicopter crash by intensifying the fight against illegal mining.
Speaking at the National Inter-Faith Memorial Service held in honour of the “Departed 8” on Thursday, August 6, Mrs Abigail Aboagye said the greatest tribute to the victims would not be found in speeches or ceremonies but in concrete action to protect Ghana’s environment.
She said her husband died while on a mission to support efforts to combat illegal mining, a fight she believes remains unfinished.
“Samuel died on his way to a fight that is yet not finished. The rivers he was going to defend are still being poisoned. The land is still bleeding,” she said.
“The truest tribute we can pay these eight is not a speech. It is to finish their work. Please, do not let this be the last year we remember them,” she added.
The memorial service marked one year since the August 6, 2025 Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 helicopter crash that claimed the lives of eight public officials who were travelling on official duty.
Reflecting on her husband’s life and service, Mrs Aboagye said his commitment to helping others defined both his career and personality.
“As the Deputy Director for NADMO, his work was to reach people on the worst days of their lives. He did it well,” she said. “But before any title, he was my husband and a father to our two girls.”
She acknowledged the immense pain her family had experienced over the past year, describing grief as a difficult journey that changes with time.
“I will not stand here and pretend the year has been easy. Grief does not get smaller. You simply grow around it,” she said.
Mrs Aboagye shared the personal struggles of adjusting to life without her husband, noting that everyday moments continue to remind her and her children of their loss.
“There’s a chair in our house that nobody sits on. Birthdays came anyway. Christmas came anyway. And our girls still ask me questions I do not have good answers for,” she said.
Despite the pain, she expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama, the Government of Ghana, the Ghana Armed Forces, NADMO, residents of Obuasi and Adansi, and Ghanaians across the country for supporting the bereaved families.
“Thank you. You held us up when we could not stand,” she said.
She also acknowledged the bond formed among the families of the eight victims, saying their shared experience had united them.
“To the seven other families here, we did not choose one another, but we belong to one another now,” she added.
In an emotional tribute to her late husband, Mrs Aboagye said her faith in God had sustained her through the most difficult moments.
“I want you to know that God has held me. On the days I could not even pray, He carried me through all the pain,” she said.
“Our girls are well. They have your love, and I am keeping my promise. I am taking care. Rest peacefully in the bosom of the Lord. Until we meet again, you will always be my forever.” she added.
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