The tragic helicopter crash of Wednesday, August 6, 2025, which claimed eight lives—including two cabinet ministers—has plunged Ghana into mourning and sparked urgent conversations about the state of aviation safety.
Foreign Minister and MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, disclosed that the government has engaged aviation experts from the United States to investigate the incident. While this step may provide immediate answers, it also reveals a pressing need: Ghana must build its own strong, independent capacity for aviation accident investigations.
Instead of relying on foreign expertise in every crisis, the nation has an opportunity to invest in its own people. Ghana could identify and send a select team of ten professionals—five seasoned military officers and five skilled police personnel—for advanced training in countries renowned for aviation safety. Once certified, these individuals would form the foundation of a permanent, nationally led crash investigation unit.
Such a move would offer two key benefits:
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Cost-effectiveness – Investing in training saves resources in the long term, reducing reliance on costly external investigators.
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Sovereignty and self-reliance – Empowering Ghanaians to lead investigations ensures greater control over sensitive national information and strengthens our security.
This tragedy must become a turning point. By equipping our people with world-class expertise, Ghana can move beyond short-term fixes and toward lasting solutions. Honouring the lives lost means committing to a future where aviation safety is safeguarded by our own capacity, vision, and resilience.
The choice is clear: build today for a safer tomorrow. Let history remember this moment as the time Ghana stood tall, charting its own course in aviation safety with strength and self-reliance.
source: myjoyonline
