Thank each of you for your commitment to duty – VEEP to fallen heroes

Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, in her tribute to the eight victims of the August 6 helicopter crash, praised their dedication to service and unwavering commitment to the nation.

Paying her tribute at the state burial of the fallen heroes, the Vice President said the fallen heroes exemplified the very best of Ghana’s values.

“I thank each of you for your examples of selflessness, sacrifice, commitment to duty and your abiding belief in the ability of our country to be better for all of us,” she said.

She recalled her interactions with some of the victims in their official capacities, including the late Minister of Defence, Dr Omane Boamah, noting that he had pledged to work with her to ensure efficiency in the Ghana Armed Forces Council.

“In your capacity as sector Minister, you met with me soon after the council was sworn in, and we pledged to each other to take the assignment very seriously. We agreed to avoid a tall and cluttered agenda by clearing items expeditiously and following up on assignments given to members of council or to management,” she said.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said she had been struck by their determination to succeed, their clear focus, and their resolve to use every opportunity in service of the country.

“Your determination to succeed was high; your focus unwavering; your resolve unambiguous. Speaking with you, however briefly, revealed your firm decision to use your opportunities for their intended purpose: serving our country,” she added.

The Vice President also shared lines from one of her favourite poets, Bernard Dadié, reminding mourners that the legacies of the deceased will live on.

“The dead are not dead. They are in the rustling tree, in the murmuring wood, in the flowing water… It is the breathing of our forefathers,” she quoted.

She said a prayer for strength for the bereaved families, urging all to take comfort in the values of loyalty, justice, and hard work that the victims embodied.

“You are always with us, my colleagues in the business of resetting our country… Thanks for leaving these gifts, and more, with us. Rest in peace,” she said.

Below is the Vice President’s full tribute:

Trbute by H.E. NAANA JANE OPOKU-AGYEMANG, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA

My Friends,
I am aware that what we should be doing now is not listening to my tribute. We should all be at our usual activities and throwing up ideas we know may not be accepted by all, but which we bandy about anyway, in the interest of contributing to the national agenda. We are more or less coming to the realization that such will be the outcomes of meetings where we plan, schedule, execute, evaluate, and ascribe responsibilities whether by volunteering or being volunteered.

Your determination to succeed was high; your focus unwavering; your resolve unambiguous. Speaking with you, however briefly, revealed your firm decision to use your opportunities for their intended purpose: serving our country.

I should be making those unexpected calls to some of you, as I do to others, to find out how things are going and getting the usual responses: We are trying Our implementation plan is on course We are making progress Our strategies need amendment Not easy ooh We are doing our best

And Omane, you know that we have an outstanding meeting of the GAF Council. In your capacity as sector Minister, you met with me soon after the council was sworn in, and we pledged to each other to take the assignment very seriously. We agreed to avoid a tall and cluttered agenda by clearing items expeditiously and following up on the assignments given to members of council or to management. You had a positive reaction to the prospect of working with me; I was even more excited by the prospect of learning from you

Yes, one more time to remind ourselves that man proposes, God disposes.

I wish you peaceful rest, my colleagues. I thank each of you for your examples of selflessness, sacrifice, commitment to duty and your abiding belief in the ability of our country to be better for all of us.

I pray that we will all be able to gather the strength to say and believe with the hymnist: Through the love of God our Saviour, All is well.

I want to share some lines from one of my favourite poets, the Ivorian Bernard Dadié:
Listen more often to things rather than beings

Hear the fire’s voice,
Hear the voice of water.
In the wind hear the sobbing of the trees,
It is our forefathers breathing.

The dead are not gone forever.
They are in the paling shadows,
And in the darkening shadows.

The dead are not beneath the ground,
They are in the rustling tree,
In the murmuring wood,
In the flowing water,
In the still water,
In the lonely place, in the crowd:
The dead are not dead.

The dead are not beneath the earth,
They are in the flickering fire,
In the weeping plant, the groaning rock,
The wooded place, the home.
The dead are not dead.
Listen more often to things rather than beings.
Hear the fire’s voice,
Hear the voice of water.
In the wind hear the sobbing of the trees.
It is the breathing of our forefathers

You are always with us, my colleagues in the business of resetting our country and of guiding our steps though the legacies of humanness, loyalty, justice, dedication, determination, trust, and sheer hard work.

Thanks for leaving these gifts, and more, with us. Rest in Peace.

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