By: Belinda Nketia
President John Dramani Mahama has launched a Children’s Support Fund to secure the education, healthcare, and welfare of the children of the eight victims of the August 6, 2025 helicopter crash, with Stanbic Bank contributing ₵500,000 as the first deposit.
Delivering an address at the State Funeral for the fallen heroes at Black Star Square, President Mahama said the fund will ensure the children “will never be deprived of the opportunities, the care, and the security that their parents worked so hard to provide for them.”
According to the President, the funds will cover schooling from primary through tertiary or technical training, medical insurance, specialised healthcare, and welfare needs including clothing, shelter, and living expenses.
Government will make an immediate seed contribution and publish a detailed framework within 30 days, the President announced.
“My office will ensure that the fund is sustained for the long term, with annual public reporting,” President Mahama pledged. “We will create channels for contributions from citizens, corporate organisations, professional associations, and our international partners.”
The President likened the nation’s duty to the children to the compassion shown by the late Dr. Omane Boamah, who paid for the surgery of a disabled boy named Setor and even wrote him a poem to ease his fear. Quoting from it, Mahama said: “You’re not alone. You’ve got me.” According to the president, this is what the country must tell the children of the victims of the fatal helicopter crash.
President Mahama urged Ghanaians to draw on the country’s culture of collective responsibility, “where we take on the responsibility of raising the children of relatives or even strangers in need.” He promised the families: “We will proudly walk with them into their future. They will not be alone, they’ve got us, and we will always be there to share.”
The President closed by thanking bereaved families for their “courage and dignity in the face of unimaginable loss,” the Armed Forces and emergency services for their “swift and professional response,” and citizens, traditional leaders, and international partners for their solidarity. “It is this solidarity that affirms the strength of our national and international spirit,” he concluded.
