Ghana’s ability to manage disasters and complex crime scenes is being crippled by inadequate forensic infrastructure, the head of the Ghana Academy of Forensic Services (GAFS) warned today.
Pet-Paul Wepeba’s stark assessment follows chaotic scenes at the Z-9 helicopter crash site, where poor evidence preservation and haphazard handling of remains highlighted systemic gaps.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show, Wepeba detailed how well-meaning bystanders and untrained personnel contaminated the Ashanti Region crash scene—violating the three-layer cordon system standard globally. “Knowledge within the public and institutions is lacking,” he stated, noting this undermines investigations and victim dignity. Footage showing bodies moved in makeshift materials, not proper body bags, drew particular dismay. “Body bags protect handlers from infection and show respect. Their absence reflects a broader failure.”
The identification process faces deeper hurdles. With dental records scarce in Ghana, DNA remains the gold standard—especially for fragmented remains like those recovered from the Z-9. Yet Ghana lacks advanced DNA tech, forcing samples to be sent to South Africa. “We have expertise but not tools,” Wepeba admitted. “Delays compound families’ anguish.”
At the heart of the crisis, he argued, is Ghana’s lack of a national forensic policy. Such a framework would standardize disaster response, establish a DNA database with privacy safeguards, and define crime scene protocols. Without it, evidence degrades, justice stalls, and public health risks rise. “Disasters aren’t if, but when,” Wepeba stressed. “We’re gambling with lives.”
His appeal transcends crisis management. A forensic policy could position Ghana as a regional hub, creating jobs while strengthening law enforcement and human rights. He invoked Ghana’s overlooked history: the first DNA kinship verification in 1985 involved a Ghanaian. “We pioneered this. Why have we stalled?”
For Wepeba, reform is both practical and moral: “Treating the dead with dignity isn’t optional. Today’s victim could be any of us tomorrow.”
