Two Ghanaian Ministers Among Eight People Killed In Military Helicopter Crash

Ghana has been hit with tragedy following a deadly military helicopter crash in the Ashanti Region that claimed the lives of eight people, including two senior government ministers.

Ghana’s Defence Minister, Edward Omane Boamah, and the Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, were among the victims.

Chief of Staff Julius Debrah described the crash which happened on Wednesday, August 6, as a “national tragedy.”

It was gathered that the helicopter, a Z9 model belonging to the Ghana Armed Forces, disappeared from radar shortly after taking off from the capital, Accra.

It left at around 9:12 a.m. local time and was on its way to Obuasi, where the officials were scheduled to attend an event focused on illegal mining, a major environmental concern in the country.

The aircraft was carrying a total of eight people, including three crew members and five passengers.

Images showing the burnt wreckage have been circulating online, though authorities have yet to confirm the cause of the crash.

The Ghanaian government has ordered national flags to be flown at half-mast.

President John Dramani Mahama expressed his deep sorrow through his chief of staff, who extended heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families and praised the service of those who died in the line of duty.

Among the others who lost their lives were Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, a former agriculture minister and the country’s Deputy National Security Coordinator, and Samuel Sarpong, a top official in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The crew members were identified as Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu said the president was “down, down emotionally” by the loss.

Boamah was a seasoned politician who had also served as a communications and environment minister under Mahama’s previous administration.

In his role as defence minister, he focused heavily on security challenges in Ghana’s northern regions, especially threats linked to jihadist groups across the border in Burkina Faso.

According to a 2022 report by the France-based NGO Promediation, extremist groups had recruited hundreds of Ghanaian youths, raising alarms about growing insecurity in the region.

Boamah had also recently completed a book titled A Peaceful Man in an African Democracy, a tribute to former president John Atta Mills, which was scheduled for release later this year.

Minister Muhammed was known for his fierce stance against illegal gold mining, referred to locally as “Galamsey”, which has devastated local ecosystems and polluted many water sources.

His work in this area had made him a prominent figure in environmental advocacy, especially during last year’s heated election campaign.

KanyiDaily recently reported how an Air India flight heading to London Gatwick crashed just minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad, with 242 people on board, including passengers and crew.