Ghana Defence, Environment Ministers Killed in Fatal Military Helicopter Crash
Ghanaian ministers Defence, Dr. Edward Kofi Omane-Boamah and Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed have died in a military helicopter crash that claimed the lives of all eight people on board.
The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday morning in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region, shortly after the Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 helicopter departed Accra en route to Obuasi.
The cause of the crash remains unknown, and an official investigation is currently underway.
According to the Ghana Armed Forces, the aircraft left the capital around 9:12 a.m. local time and lost contact with air traffic control minutes later. Eyewitnesses in the area reported seeing smoke rising from the forested crash site before security forces cordoned off the area.
Among the victims were Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator and former Minister of Agriculture; Dr. Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC); and former NDC parliamentary candidate Samuel Aboagye.
The flight crew Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala (pilot), Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu (co-pilot), and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah also perished in the crash.
President John Dramani Mahama has declared a period of national mourning, ordering flags to be flown at half-mast across the country.
He described the incident as “an unimaginable loss” and extended condolences to the bereaved families.
“This is a dark day for our country,” the president said in a televised address. “We have lost patriots, leaders, and gallant officers in the service of Ghana.”
The deaths of the ministers mark a significant blow to the Mahama administration, which is less than a year into its new term. Dr. Omane-Boamah had played a central role in national security operations, particularly in managing tensions along Ghana’s northern border, while Dr. Murtala Mohammed had been at the forefront of the government’s environmental campaign against illegal mining and deforestation.
In response to the crash, the Ghana Armed Forces have grounded all Z-9 helicopters pending safety inspections. The Ministry of Transport has also announced that a multi-agency committee will be set up to determine the exact cause of the accident.
