Continue supporting bereaved families beyond mourning – Opoku Prempeh

The Presidential running mate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2024 general election, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has called on Ghanaians to embrace a period of sober reflection following the tragic helicopter crash on August 6 that claimed the lives of eight patriotic citizens, including two serving ministers of state.

Speaking at the Jubilee House gardens during a solemn wreath-laying ceremony held as part of the three-day national mourning period, Dr. Opoku Prempeh described the tragedy as a moment for the nation to unite and renew its commitment to building a stronger and more compassionate Ghana.

He urged political leaders and the public alike to focus on initiatives that tangibly improve the lives of ordinary Ghanaians, emphasizing that the ultimate measure of leadership is service to the people.

Paying tribute to the late Defence Minister, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Dr. Opoku Prempeh recalled their bond as colleagues in the medical profession, describing him as a friend and brother. He also remembered the late Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, as a close confidant with whom he shared regular conversations during intense political campaigns, exchanging ideas about the Ghana they both envisioned.

Reflecting on his decades-long relationship with the late Dr. Samuel Sarpong, Dr. Opoku Prempeh recounted attending every Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly meeting to which Members of Parliament were invited by Dr. Sarpong over 25 years, describing their connection as deeply personal and enduring.

While acknowledging the nation’s collective grief, he reminded Ghanaians that “very soon, when the heat of the moment passes, the bereaved families would be left alone with their pain.” He, therefore, called on the public to continue showing love, compassion, and tangible support to the families long after the official ceremonies have ended.

“This is a time for sober reflection,” he said. “A time to stand together, to comfort the grieving, and to commit ourselves once again to building the Ghana our fallen brothers and sisters dreamed of.”

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A three-day national mourning period began on August 7 with a flower-laying ceremony, followed by an evening of reflection on August 9. An inter-denominational state funeral for all victims is scheduled to take place on Friday, August 15, at the Black Star Square.