The Deputy Government Spokesperson, Shamima Muslim, has appealed to the media for dignified and respectful coverage of the tragic military helicopter crash that claimed eight lives, including two cabinet ministers, on Wednesday, August 6.
Speaking on the Citi FM, Madam Muslim acknowledged the media’s critical role in informing the public but urged restraint in the use of graphic visuals, out of respect for the deceased and their families.
“We pray that the media continue to do a dignified coverage of the disaster,” she said.
“We have pleaded for platforms to delete the harrowing visuals from various networks so that we can provide dignified coverage and still balance the need for the public to know what happened, respecting the family and their spouses.”
Ms. Muslim stressed the need to avoid the circulation of distressing images, particularly those captured shortly after the crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region.
In the same interview, she disclosed that the government has formed a planning committee to oversee the funeral and burial arrangements of the deceased.
“We will communicate in real time the various actions that we are going to be taking,” she noted. “It is safe to say that we are all doing what it takes to ease the pain for the families, the government, and put in place all the necessary plans.”
She added that the planning committee is working to ensure a smooth and solemn process for honouring the victims.
“There is a planning committee at work to ensure a smooth process towards what should be a very simple process,” she said.
The crash, which claimed the lives of Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, and six others, has prompted a wave of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast and tributes pouring in from across Ghana and the international community.
Source :Citinewsroom
