Bright Simons, Vice President of IMANI Africa, has raised fresh concerns over Ghana’s approach to disaster protocols, stressing that too many people still downplay the importance of following established procedures at accident scenes.
His remarks come in the wake of the recent helicopter crash, which has once again exposed critical weaknesses in how the country handles emergencies.
Simons condemned the ongoing practice of allowing untrained and unauthorized individuals to remain at aircraft accident sites, disregarding established safety procedures.
He emphasized that beyond preserving evidence, the foremost priority should be protecting lives, warning that the absence of strict site control significantly heightens the risk of additional danger.
“What about the people’s own safety? What happens when there are secondary explosions?…The site of a crashed military plane could even have unexploded bombs and stuff. Why would people without so much as a glove or mask on be allowed to stay for hours ‘helping’ in the search?”
Bright Simons
For Simons, these kinds of lapses not only compromise the integrity of an accident investigation but also place both civilians and emergency responders in harm’s way.
He argued that without strict adherence to established safety protocols, the chaos at such scenes can escalate, increasing the likelihood of injuries, contamination, or even secondary explosions.
In his view, these oversights reflect a troubling disregard for structured emergency management and risk prevention.
Simons underscored that the real value of having clear disaster protocols lies in enabling preparedness through prior rehearsals, allowing for swift and efficient action during an actual emergency while minimising the need for excessive improvisation or compromising safety measures.
Accordingly, he challenged those who fail to grasp this logic, asking, “How is this hard to understand?”
Simons rejected the notion that his concerns were an overreaction or a case of “crying over spilt milk” and “flogging dead horses.”
He argued that making these points repeatedly is essential because Ghana faces other looming threats that require strict adherence to safety procedures.
Dormant Safety Plans, Disaster Protocols Put Ghana at Risk
To illustrate his point, Bright Simons drew parallels to other national risks, noting the existence of a “national oil spill contingency plan” dating back to the 1980s.
This plan, Simons explained, is based on clear operational protocols designed to be activated in the event of an oil spill. Yet, just like the country’s Search and Rescue framework, it has remained largely theoretical.
The policy analyst lamented that, instead of real-world readiness, what the country has witnessed are endless “trainings” and “workshops” with no tangible operationalisation or large-scale rehearsals to ensure the systems work under actual crisis conditions.
“Getting the need for protocols to sink in prepares the national mind for other critical policy issues like oil spill management.”
Bright Simons
Simons underscored that ensuring Ghanaians fully appreciate the necessity of disaster protocols is not just about reacting to aviation incidents but about preparing for a variety of potential emergencies.
He argued that firmly embedding these principles into the national mindset will strengthen the country’s ability to address critical policy issues—such as oil spill management and other high-risk scenarios—before they spiral into full-blown, large-scale disasters with devastating consequences.
By raising these concerns now, Simons aims to spark both a cultural and institutional transformation in the way emergencies are handled.
He envisions a shift toward disciplined, well-practised responses where every stakeholder understands their role and follows established procedures without hesitation.
Such preparedness, he believes, would not only safeguard lives but also preserve critical evidence, protect valuable resources, and ensure that rescue and recovery operations are carried out with maximum efficiency when disaster inevitably strikes.
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