The Government of Ghana has officially announced the arrangements for the state funeral honoring the eight victims of the tragic military helicopter crash on August 6, 2025. The service is slated to commence at Black Star Square (Independence Square) in Accra on Friday, August 15, 2025, bringing the nation together for a solemn farewell.
According to the Graphic Online briefings, the ceremony will be led by the Ghana Armed Forces and proceed in three distinct segments: a pre-burial service, the state funeral, and a final burial at the Military Cemetery at Burma Camp.
Ceremony Schedule and Key Moments
-
Start and Pre-burial (7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.)
The pre-burial program will feature musical tributes, Quran recitations, and institutional eulogies. Mourners will honor the memory of the deceased through heartfelt narratives and prayer. -
Arrival of Dignitaries
Vice-President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang is expected to arrive at 8:50 a.m., followed by President John Dramani Mahama at 9:00 a.m., marking the formal commencement of the state funeral. -
Main Funeral Service and Eulogies
Biographies of the six victims still awaiting burial will be read aloud. Tributes will come from family members—including children and widows—as well as government and institutional representatives. -
Burial at Burma Camp
Following the funerary rites, the bodies will be transported to the Military Cemetery in Burma Camp for internment.
Traffic Management: Road Closures and Diversions
To ensure the safety of attendees and the smooth flow of traffic, the Ghana Police Service has issued a comprehensive traffic plan for the day. The following roads will be closed temporarily around Independence Square:
-
28th February Road (between CEPS Traffic Light and Castle Road Junction)
-
Osu Cemetery Traffic Light on Lokko Street
-
Castle Road (from the AU Circle to the Osu Cemetery junction)
-
Starlet 91 Road at Ministries Traffic Light.
Diversions include:
-
Traffic from La, Labone, and Osu (along 28th February Road) will be routed via Salem Avenue to Oxford Street.
-
Vehicles from Lokko Street heading to Castle Road should use Ajumaku Street and Oxford Street.
-
Motorists on John Evans Atta Mills High Street bound for Black Star Square will be diverted via Liberia Road.
-
Traffic from the AU Circle toward Castle Road will be rerouted to Abdul Diouf, King Hassan, and then connect to Abdul Nasser Road near GIJ.
Approved parking areas (for vehicles displaying RED VVIP stickers) include:
-
Black Star Square (VVIP/VIP zones)
-
State House forecourt
-
International Conference Centre
-
Access Bank Car Park
-
Osu Cemetery Car Park
-
Accra Sports Stadium
-
Ministries area
-
Ministry of Food and Agriculture Car Park
-
Marine Drive Football Park
-
Afua Sutherland Park Car Park
Unauthorized vehicles risk being towed, and recovery operations will be in force to clear any obstructive parking.
