Chief of Staff Julius Debrah says the nation will bear the emotional wounds of the August 6 military helicopter crash for a long time, as Ghanaians continue to grapple with the loss of eight prominent citizens.

Speaking during his welcome address at the Evening of Reflections and Memorial for the departed, held at the Forecourt of the State House on Saturday, August 9, Mr Debrah described the tragedy as one that has left the nation’s heart “bleeding” and its soul “restless.”

“Comrades, these three days are certainly not enough to fill the big void created. It is simply not enough to offer us healing and closure… Perhaps it will take a long while to forget or heal these scars,” he said.

Mr Debrah urged the public to take comfort in the values the victims stood for — patriotism, selfless leadership, bravery, and service to God and country, and to honour their memory by remaining united and committed to national progress.

"They will be telling us to remain united as a people and a nation and to further cause of governance in honour of their efforts.

"More importantly, they will be urging us to continue to strive to live by the values they stood for and died for, the values of patriotism, selfless leadership, bravery and service to their maker and country," he said.

The memorial, part of a three-day period of national mourning, honoured Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Environment Minister Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, and six others who died in the crash in the Adansi-Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region.