KEY POINTS
- U.S. experts invited to study black box from Z9 helicopter.
- Chinese manufacturer on standby per standing protocol.
- Government pledges transparency and regular public updates.
Ghana has called in American aviation experts to help analyse the black box from last week’s military helicopter crash that killed eight people, Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said.
Independent oversight to boost confidence
Acting on the instructions of President John Dramani Mahama, the government has written to Washington requesting independent technical assistance. Ablakwa said the move is intended to “avoid any suspicion” and inspire confidence in the findings.
“We all know that they have considerable expertise when it comes to these matters,” he told JoyNews. “The Americans have responded and are willing to assist. We expect their arrival soon.”
Chinese manufacturer also on standby
The Z9 helicopter’s Chinese manufacturer has been contacted and is also ready to help under standard protocol, which requires the black box to be made available to the maker. Ablakwa said Mahama insisted on waiting for independent experts before the investigation proceeds to prevent any perception of conflict of interest.
Full transparency promised
Here’s an active rewrite:
Ablakwa pledged to update Ghanaians at each stage of the process. “When these experts arrive, when the investigations commence, when the investigations progress, when the investigations conclude — every stage of the way the Ghanaian people should know,” he said.
He stressed that the victims represented ideals of good governance, and honouring them means upholding transparency, accountability, and truth in the investigation.
