Ghana government encourages citizens to wear black, red armbands to mourn victims of Accra floods, fire

The Ghana government is encouraging Ghanaians and the public to wear black clothes and red armbands to mourn victims of the filling station fire and floods that occurred in Accra June 3, 2015.

A statement issued on behalf of the Minister of Communication, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah says the three-day national mourning for the 150 dead would start Monday June 8 and there will be a national memorial service on Wednesday.

“All flags will fly at half mast tomorrow, Monday, as we begin three days of national mourning for the persons who lost their lives through a fire and flood disaster on Wednesday June 3,” the statement said.

The statement also “encouraged all Ghanaians and the general public to wear black or red armbands and clothing to mourn with the families of the victims of the disaster.”

The statement indicated that the government has taken responsibility for the hospital bills of all the victims of the flood and fire as directed by the President.

“In addition, water, food and non-food items have been distributed to affected persons and communities. The food items include bags of rice, gallons of cooking oil, canned fish, tins of milk, sugar, tea bags, tomato paste, noodles among others. The non-food items distributed include blankets, mattresses, mosquito nets, mosquito coils, clothing, buckets, bowls and basins,” the statement added.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi