Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the 2024 presidential running mate for the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), has urged Ghanaians to support the families of the eight individuals who lost their lives in the helicopter crash beyond the mourning.
He says although the entire nation is mourning with them and sharing their condolences, the bereaved families, after the initial shock, will feel the pain alone, and that is when they will need the support of Ghanaians the most.
Dr. Opoku Prempeh, also known as NAPO, speaking at the wreath-laying ceremony held for the victims at the Jubilee House Gardens on Friday, August 8, 2025, expressed the need not to let the affection cease after the victims have been buried.
In his words, he said while the nation mourns collectively in this grieving moment, “very soon, when the heat of the moment passes, the bereaved families would be left alone with their pain.”
NAPO therefore called on Ghanaians to continue showing love, compassion and tangible support to the families long after the 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,” he stated.
He further called on Ghanaians to soberly reflect on the devastating tragedy, adding that the period should serve as a rallying point for unity and a renewed commitment to building a stronger nation.
The former Minister of Energy, used the medium to urge politicians to focus their efforts on initiatives that genuinely improved the lives of average Ghanaians, adding that the ultimate measure of leadership was service to the people.
Tribute to the deceased
Dr. Opoku Prempeh, remembered the late Defence Minister, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, as not only a junior colleague in the medical profession, but also a friend and brother.
He described the late Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed as a close friend with whom he shared daily conversations during the heated days of political campaigning, exchanging ideas and envisioning the Ghana they both aspired to help build.
Reflecting on his long-standing relationship with the late Dr Samuel Sarpong, Dr Opoku Prempeh recounted how,over the past 25 years, he had attended every Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly meeting to which Members of Parliament were invited by Dr Sarpong, describing their bond as deeply personal and enduring.
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