Security consultant Richard Kumadoe has raised concerns over Ghana’s level of preparedness in handling national disasters and emergencies, stating that the country’s response mechanisms “lack merit” and needs urgent improvement.
Speaking in an interview on Happy FM’s Morning Show with Sefah-Danquah, Kumadoe criticised the absence of a comprehensive disaster management strategy, noting that in incidents such as the recent helicopter crash, the Ghana National Fire Service should have taken the lead, but they could not due to logistical constraints.
“This is where inter agency and inter corporation arrangements come in,” he said. “If it’s choppers you need, you should have those arrangements in advance and practice them. It shouldn’t be only when there is a calamity”, Mr. Kumadoe argued.
Despite acknowledging initial lapses in the information gathering and investigation protocols like securing the crime scene, he expressed absolute confidence in the Ghana Police Service’s cability to thoroughly conduct a better job at ascertaining what might have led to the accident.
Kumadoe further revealed that the helicopter’s black box had been sent to its manufacturer for analysis, noting that retrieving call logs and other data could take time. He referred to the black box and the human remains as “objects of investigation interest.”
Addressing the decision to send bodies to South Africa, Kumadoe clarified that the move was not solely for DNA testing but for broader forensic analysis to better understand the incident. He expressed hope that by Friday, the day of the state funeral, at least 70–80% of the results would be available.
