President John Mahama has posthumously promoted three Ghana Armed Forces personnel who perished in the August 6 helicopter crash.
John Mahama described the fallen servicemen as true patriots who paid the ultimate price in the line of duty.
Speaking at the state funeral held in their honour on Friday, John Mahama stated, “Accordingly, I have approved the following. Squadron Leader Peter Bufami Anala is promoted to the rank of Wing Commander. Flying Officer Manaen Twum Ampadu is promoted to the rank of Flight Lieutenant. Sergeant Ernest Addo is promoted to the rank of Flight Sergeant.
These are not just symbolic gestures. They represent the rightful place these officers have earned in our republic’s role of honour”, President Mehama revealed.
John Mahama also revealed that benefits due to their families will be reflected in these new ranks.
Meanwhile, Festus Aboagye, a retired Colonel and security analyst, has said the pilot of the August 6 helicopter crash, Squadron Leader Anala, was a top-certified VIP Pilot.
According to Festus Aboagye, Squadron Leader Anala has 13 years of experience flying as a pilot.
Speaking on The Point of View on Channel One TV on August 13, Col Aboagye stated, “If we zero in on the Captain — Squadron Leader Anala, he’s got 13 years of experience flying as a pilot. Before he passed, he was the most senior, most competent helicopter pilot.
His grading was Category C certified for flying VIP flights, and he has been flying VIPs in helicopters. This is to disabuse the minds of Ghanaians that some people say, ‘oh, he was not competent,’” he said.
He added, “Last point is that he has been trained in Aircraft investigation at Cranfield University, UK. Since his training, whatever that year was, he has been going back to Cranfield. The white man, Oyibo, Muzungo has been inviting him every year to come and deliver aircraft investigation training. He was very competent”.
“Among the three crew, he has 13 years, the Flying Officer has 5 years, the Flight Sergeant, the Engineer has 14 years. Ghanaians must throw away that stuff that maybe they were not competent”, he further detailed the experience of the other crew members.
Also, President John Mahama has revealed plans to create a dedicated fund for the eight victims in the tragic August 6 helicopter crash.
According to John Mahama, all those who died were at the prime of their lives and had so many responsibilities.
Speaking during an address on Tuesday, August 12, John Mahama stated, “It’s a difficult calamity. Because if you look at all those who died, they were at the prime of their lives and had so much responsibility, children still in school, and some even with infants as young as two months… These responsibilities are what we have to take up to make sure that the absence of the parents does not adversely affect the innocent children.”
“At the funeral, we will announce a programme for creating a fund that will assist with the education of their children,” he said.
He added, “Persons who want to contribute to the future of the children they’ve left behind would have the opportunity to do so”.