Over the last two decades, certain events or occurrences have tested the spirit of unity among Ghanaians. These occurrences have in one way or the other shaped the perceptions and culture of the citizenry. Although they are dreadful and open bad wounds, they have not been without positives. www.ghanaweb.com takes a look at some of the events which have caused national mourning and thrown the entire public into delirium.
May 9 stadium disaster
Named the worst stadium disaster to occur in Africa, 126 victims were killed during a stampede at the Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra on May 9, 2001. Ghana's biggest football rivals, Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko played that day and hence the stadium was filled to the highest capacity. Officials were anticipating crowd disturbances and had taken extra security measures. Commotions however set in after Hearts scored a winning goal, incurring the wrath of disappointed Kotoko fans who begun to throw broken chairs and bottles to the field.
The police responded by firing tear gas into the crowd. Panic and a stampede ensued as fans tried to escape. Gates were locked and the stadium's compromised design left a bottleneck, with fewer exits than originally planned. Ghana Institute of Architects called the stadium a "death trap." After the hour-long ordeal, it was found that 116 deaths resulted from compressive asphyxia and 10 fans died from trauma.
Atta Mills death
Prior to his demise, the country had never experienced losing a sitting President in such manner. Three years into his term Prof. John Evans Atta Mills who had reportedly been struggling with throat cancer passed away on July 24, 2012, at the 37 Military Hospital.
Shocking was an understatement, and several eyebrows were raised about the rather strange demise of one of the country’s greatest statesmen.
Thousands of mourners across several divides including former US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton thronged the Independence Square in Accra for his funeral. Prof. Evans Atta Mills was 68 when he passed, leaving behind a son, Fiifi and wife, Naadu. Seven years after his passing, however, the medical report on the death of the former President remains shrouded in controversy as Ghanaians are still oblivious to the actual cause of death.
Let’s see how Ghanaians reacted to the news of the death of Ghana’s ‘Prince of peace’
#ghana can be proud of #AttaMills coz his death is not met wth celebration but a feelin of loss- not a common feature in many of our cntries
— Rosebell Kagumire ? (@RosebellK) July 24, 2012
Opposition party NPP has suspended all campaigning towards election 2012 in solidarity with Mills' death till further notice. #AttaMills
— OBED BOAFO (@obedboafo_) July 24, 2012
President John Atta Mills dies at 68 - Ghana has lost a great leader #RIPMills
— Lindsay Burns ???????? (@SpecBurns) July 25, 2012
#Ghana's president John Atta #Mills dies of cardiac arrest after battling throat cancer, aged 68. A nation mourns a leader of integrity.
— Nastasya Tay (@NastasyaTay) July 24, 2012
Flood and Fire at Circle
It will qualify as one of the biggest disasters that hit the country, which memory forever will remain etched in the memories of Ghanaians; the twin disaster.
Losing a loved one to drowning after a heavy downpour is enough misery, but to lose parts of your body and be scarred for life because you decided to seek solace at a fuel station during the rains is however another thing altogether.
But that was the case of several victims of the explosion at the Goil filling station at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange in Accra on the fateful June 3, 2015.
An explosion at the fuel station which spread to a nearby forex bureau and a pharmacy killed about 200 civilians, while 25 people reportedly drowned by the rains which caused flooding in the area. Although the exact cause of the fires remains unknown to date, several reports suggest it was sparked by a smoker who dropped his cigarettes stick.
Such was the gravity of the effect on the country that the president, John Mahama declared a 3-day mourning to commemorate the victims of the disaster. Let’s relive some of the comments which were shared on the day
May 9 2001 stadium disaster - 127 dead!
— Eddy Micah Jnr (@EDDYMICAH) June 4, 2015
June 4 2015 flood disaster - 200 + dead!@etvgh @etv @Y1079FM #AccraFloods
"Fire me if ya wnt, buh am nt cmn out frm my room 2day.!!" Dis is frm me 2 my boss. Sad day 4 Gh. #Citi973 #CircleExplosion #AccraFloodings
— - Duke of Madina -???????????????? ???????????? (@Official_Kobby) June 4, 2015
Pope Francis prays for strength for Ghana . #June3disaster #AccraFloods
— Abigail Nana Akua Opoku (@nanaakuab) June 8, 2015
Atomic explosion disaster
One more explosion which shook the nation occurred at another filling station of GOIL, this time though, at Atomic Junction roundabout in Accra.
The blast took place as gas tenders discharged the fuel at the station. Successive blasts within the same radius caused a giant ball of flame in the sky with several residents on their heels. According to a statement from the Information Ministry, 7 people were killed while 132 had various degrees of injuries.
Here’s how social media was awash with comments on the day
Wow that was the fire at #atomicJunction recorded from my home #Accra pic.twitter.com/mZB9Pl2hwB
— JD (@datsjid) October 8, 2017
Theres been a gas explosion at #AtomicJunction, #Madina. Call on relatives & friends. Check on their safety. #PrayForMadina #AtomicExplosion pic.twitter.com/BXHeNo1IoZ
— ?fo Mawuli (@efoemawuli) October 7, 2017
A picture of a real #AtomicExplosion....and a picture of the gas explosion that happened at #atomicjunction yesterday. pic.twitter.com/Y4ciMSNb5l
— JUNK FEST WAS LIT!! (@IB_Presenter) October 8, 2017
My heart bleeds for Ghana today. Thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the explosion and their families. #AtomicJunction.
— Hege Hertzberg (@HertzbergHege) October 8, 2017
Murder of Major Mahama
One of the most traumatic events ever, even for people who heard the news and had glimpses of the gory video. The video of a soldier lynched with blocks and sticks, by fuming residents of Denkyira Obuasi in the Central region, generated a national uproar after the barbaric act went viral.
The victim, Captain Mahama, who was heading a military detachment near Denkyira Obuasi met his untimely death when some residents of the area accused him of being an armed robber and meted out mob justice. The officer was on operational duties at the Alaska C&G Mining Company at Amenase Forest, near Diaso in the Central Region.
According to reports, Mr. Mahama was jogging when some residents accused him of being part of a robbery gang that stormed Denkyira-Obuasi the previous day.
Check out how Ghanaians reacted to the event which occurred on May 29, 2017
A sad day in the history of Ghana's Military. #captainMahama. Though he is gone, he shall be forever be remembered. ????????@tv3_ghana
— Mckenzie (@Mckenzie__Jnr) May 31, 2017
This country needs a change of heart. Mob injustice must stop. #CaptainMahama #StopGalamseyNow https://t.co/0L27fLe7y4
— Market Express (@MarketExpressGH) May 31, 2017
Dear Lord please protect the mother and the kids and prepare a peaceful place in your bosom for #CaptainMahama #RIP Soldier pic.twitter.com/Hp91mQDMfA
— Akua Sally (@sallyofei) May 30, 2017
Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur’s death
Dying at the gym; that, certainly was the last way anybody would imagine the death of any person to occur.
That shock is what accompanied news of the passing of immediate past Vice President of the Republic, Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur on June 29, 2018.
His demise rattled all and sundry since the former Vice President did not come off as an unhealthy individual. He was affable and generally loved by even members of opposing parties due to his calm demeanour. His widow, Mrs. Matilda Amissah Arthur unleashed at her husband’s critics during the funeral, describing them as hypocrites. Check out more tweets and reactions from Ghanaians on the day
I have learnt with shock and great sadness the sudden death of the former Vice President of the Republic, His Excellency Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur. He has been a longstanding public servant, who discharged his duties with dignity.
— Nana Akufo-Addo (@NAkufoAddo) June 29, 2018
May his soul rest in perfect peace. 1/3
A life well lived.
— Efikyire Lifestyle (@efikyire) July 27, 2018
You served your Country well ????????
Rest In Peace #AmissahArthur
Damirifa Due Your Excellency pic.twitter.com/4SVM2IeqrF
It is with sadness that we learn of the passing of former Vice President H.E. Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur. We wish to express our condolences to his family and to all Ghanaians. pic.twitter.com/dUlXg7zRbH
— Canada In Ghana (@CanHCGhana) June 29, 2018
#RIP Sir. One of the good guys. May the good Lord keep you safe. ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/N8P6odhDtU
— Kwadwo Safo Jnr (@kwadwosafo_Jnr) June 29, 2018
Murder of 4 missing Takoradi girls
The abduction of four girls in the Western regional capital, Takoradi and subsequent killing remains the most bizarre episode among the lot. Ruth Abakah, Priscilla Blessing Bentum, Ruth Love Quayeson, and Priscilla Mantseabea Koranchie were all kidnapped between July and December 2018 in the same region under different circumstances.
Assurances kept coming from the police and security authorities but over a year, the girls could still not be found. Public uproar followed, more pressure but all Ghanaians got were assurances.
A year and some months on, just last month, September, a piece of more devastating news, about the demise of these girls was announced. This happened shortly after some skeletal remains were found in a septic tank at the residence of key suspect, Samuel Udeotuk Wills.
Here is what some Ghanaians had to say about the dreadful incident:
Ghana is mourning!!!! We are disappointed ????. #TakoradiGirls
— B.You by Berla Mundi (@berlamundi) September 17, 2019
The #TakoradiGirls ending is all sorts of madness and heartbreaking. The Police failed the family and the whole nation. One moment, they knew their location, the next, keep on keeping on. Now bones. Unacceptable.
— Veronica Commey (@VeronicaCommey) September 17, 2019
#Ghana is in crises, very deep crises. We are essentially rudderless!Sad ????????. #SHSPlacementMess, #PDS thievery, #StateOfInsecurity, @ECGhanaOfficial messing up, unbridled corruption,missing #TakoradiGirls confirmed dead,it's an endless list of misfortunes! @NAkufoAddo @JDMahama pic.twitter.com/GDr3yg9wQo
— The #SideGuy ???????????????????????? (@ricword4u) September 17, 2019
This hurts. I can’t imagine what the families are feeling and going through now.
— b. (@fr3me_Bella) September 17, 2019
The GPS did not do a good job. This sucks. #TakoradiGirls
pic.twitter.com/mr8HMsPQzY
We failed you.
— Akwasi Tymer (K.V.O/T.C.J) (@akwasitymergh) September 16, 2019
Our search party was led by the blind, deaf and dumb.
We failed you.
We were told you were safe and alive.
We failed you.
We promised to bring you back but we've killed you twice.
We failed you.
We bow our heads in shame.
We failed you.#BringBackOurTaadiGirls pic.twitter.com/F8Owr16Ic0
