Dana Air: Fashola to unveil remembrance cenotaph for victims

[Mirror]

Almost a year after Dana Air Boeing McDonnell Douglas (MD- 83) aircraft crashed into buildings in a Lagos suburb, killing all passengers and crew on board and scores of residents on the ground, Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, will on Monday unveil a cenotaph in memory of the victims of the crash to commemorate the first anniversary of the crash.

Briefing journalists on the activities lined up for the anniversary, the state Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr Wale Ahmed, said the plan to mark the first anniversary of the June 3, 2012 Dana plane crash which claimed over 153 lives was borne out the demand and consensus reached by the victims' relatives in the series of meeting held with the state government.

Dr Ahmed, who was joined by his Information and Strategy counterpart, Lateef Ibirogba, stressed that apart from the unveiling of the remembrance cenotaph, there would also be laying of wreath by the governor and some other dignitaries.

He added that at the solemn anniversary, Governor Fashola would also interact with families of the deceased and commiserate with them, while prayers would also be said for the repose of the deceased by various religious leaders.

Ahmed said that though the tragedy was never expected, the state government had done its best in managing the disaster and the events that followed it, stressing that apart from the series of DNA tests carried out on the unidentified and identified remains of the victims to ascertain the true relatives of the victims, the state government had also offered free legal service to enable them secure their compensation.

His words: "Although it was a tragedy we never expect but right from the time the incident took place, the government had been in control of the situation.

This anniversary would be a solemn one and was the consensus of the relatives of the victims and Governor Fashola." The commissioner explained that adequate preparation had been made to mark the first anniversary, saying that lots of lessons had been learnt from the plane crash.

National Mirror

[Shola Sholaz]

They really need to be remembered cos it was such a sad event. It seems like yesterday to me though. R.I.P to all that died.