Ghana has been plunged into mourning following the helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region that claimed the lives of eight distinguished citizens — including two serving ministers — while on a mission to tackle the country’s enduring illegal mining menace.
The victims, travelling aboard a Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 helicopter on Wednesday, August 6, were en route to explore alternative strategies in the war against galamsey when their aircraft vanished from radar and later crashed.
Among the dead were the Minister for Defence, Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, and the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Alhaji Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, who also represented Tamale Central in Parliament. Their deaths mark a devastating blow to national efforts to combat environmental degradation and safeguard Ghana’s natural resources.
Dr Omane Boamah, a medical doctor and former Minister for Communications, was celebrated for his calm demeanour, analytical approach, and decades of service in public life. Dr Murtala Mohammed, a two-time MP, was renowned for his fiery yet principled parliamentary contributions, earning respect across the political divide.
The other victims included:
Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator
Samuel Aboagye, former parliamentary candidate
Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the NDC
Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala
Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu
Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah
The Parliamentary Press Corps (PPC), which maintained close working relations with the two ministers, joined the nation in grief, describing the tragedy as “deeply personal” and a “painful loss to Ghana’s democracy and governance.”
The PPC, whose work bridges Parliament and the public, noted that the human cost of the disaster extended far beyond political offices, touching the professional community that chronicled the lives and work of these leaders.
As the country grapples with the magnitude of the loss, the crash has become a stark reminder of the risks faced by public servants in the line of duty — and of the price some pay in service to the nation.
