Former Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul has shared his grief over the recent helicopter crash that claimed eight lives, a tragedy he described as an unprecedented loss for Ghana.
Speaking at the Evening of Reflections and Memorial at the Forecourt of the State House on Saturday, August 9, Mr Nitiwul revealed the immense sorrow felt by the nation and called for a moment of prayer for the victims.
The former minister’s remarks came during a period of national mourning following the August 6 crash, which killed Defence Minister Dr Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed.
The others who perished were Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator; Samuel Aboagye, a former parliamentary candidate; and Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the NDC.
Tragically, the military crew members, Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah, also lost their lives in the crash.
The deceased persons were on their way to the launch of the Responsible Co-operative Mining and Skills Development Programme (COMSDEP) in Obuasi to address illegal mining.
“It’s a very sad situation for all of us,” Nitiwul stated, extending his condolences to the bereaved families, the Ghana Armed Forces, and the entire nation.
He emphasised the difficulty of accepting such a tragic event but underscored a sense of faith.
“The only one who can give and take is the Almighty, and we know that all of them are in the bosom of the Lord.”
Mr Nitiwul highlighted the unique nature of this disaster, noting that while Ghana has experienced other air accidents, the loss of eight lives in this manner, particularly while in the service of the nation, is a “big loss to all of us”.
The emotion in his voice was palpable as he shared a personal connection to the tragedy.
“It directly affects me because I was a minister for 8 years. It could have been me. I mean, it’s possible it could have been me.”
He urged Ghanaians to find solace in prayer, stating, “We cannot ask him why. We can only pray for their souls and that’s all they need now. So I’m asking every Ghanaian to stand for just a minute and say a prayer for them.”
He said these prayers are what will “feed into their souls and ask God to forgive all their sins, their trespasses and take them into his bosom.”
Nitiwul also used the tragedy as a powerful call for national unity, observing that the memorial service had brought together people from all political backgrounds.
“It’s not about a political party. This you see NDC, NPP, and we all mixed together. It is about Ghana today.” He expressed hope that this shared grief would serve as a “clarion call to unite us”.
His final words were a sombre reflection on the lives cut short, some of whom were “very young within their prime” and at the “epitome of their political career.”
He concluded with a message of empathy for the families: “Can you imagine? And we’ve all had it. He was a former interior minister, former minister for communication and all that; you can see that sometimes you just wake up, and even your children have not seen you and you are going to return later and you don’t come back. It is very painful, extremely painful.”
Source: Myjoyonline
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