Ahead of the state funeral for the victims of the tragic military helicopter crash, Deputy Chief of Staff Stanislav Xoese Dogbe has issued a firm call for professionalism and restraint, particularly directed at members of the media and all accredited personnel.
Speaking at a press briefing on final preparations for the funeral, scheduled for Friday, August 15, at Independence Square, Mr. Dogbe emphasized the solemn nature of the occasion and warned against any disruptive behaviour — especially in the inner perimeter of the ceremonial grounds.
“We expect that we will all comport ourselves, we will respect the guidelines,” Mr. Dogbe stated.
“We do not want to see tomorrow anybody holding a phone or a monopod and struggling to chase people, chase mourners as they are coming in to come and sit down.”
He stressed that the presence of mourners, families of the deceased, and high-profile dignitaries demanded a high level of decorum and solemnity, urging that no actions detract from the gravity and dignity of the event.
Mr. Dogbe specifically called on media personnel granted access to the inner perimeter to arrive early and ensure all technical checks — including audio and television feeds — are completed well before the 7:30 a.m. start of the service.
“If you are given accreditation to be in the inner perimeter, do well to come in early and check your audio and make sure that you have the required audio feed that you need and then also check on the TV feed,” he advised.
