Ghana Helicopter Crash: Defence and Environment Ministers Among 8 Killed
Ghana is reeling after a tragic helicopter crash claimed the lives of all eight people on board, including two high-profile government ministers.
Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were among those killed in the crash, which happened in the southern Ashanti region on Wednesday morning.
Ghana’s Defence and Environment Ministers Among 8 Killed in Helicopter Crash
Announcing the devastating news, Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff to President John Mahama, confirmed that the ministers had died alongside six others in the crash.
He said the president and his administration were heartbroken, offering their condolences and support to the families of the victims.
“The president and the government extend their condolences and solidarity to the families of our comrades and soldiers who fell in their service to the nation,” said Debrah.
Also on board was Alhaji Mohammad Muniru Limuna, the Deputy National Security Coordinator and a former agriculture minister, as well as Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Defence Minister Led During Unstable Times
Boamah was leading the defence ministry during a tense period for Ghana’s security. While Ghana has managed to avoid the kind of violent spillover seen in neighbouring Togo and Benin, concerns have grown over the threat of armed groups and arms smuggling from Burkina Faso.
Experts had warned that Ghana’s porous northern border could be used by rebels from Burkina Faso as a safe haven, even if no direct attacks had yet occurred.
Boamah, a trained medical doctor, had held several senior roles in government, including Communications Minister during Mahama’s earlier term from 2012 to 2017. He also previously served as Deputy Environment Minister.
In May, he led a diplomatic team to Ouagadougou as part of Ghana’s efforts to maintain dialogue with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger — countries now run by military juntas and largely disconnected from the ECOWAS regional bloc.
He was also working on a book titled A Peaceful Man in an African Democracy, a tribute to the late former President John Atta Mills.
What We Know About the Crash
According to a statement from the Ghanaian Armed Forces, the air force helicopter disappeared from radar shortly after leaving the capital, Accra, around 9:00 am. It was on its way to Obuasi, northwest of the city.
The military confirmed that three crew members and five passengers were aboard but did not initially disclose that senior government officials were among them.
In response to the tragedy, flags across the country will be flown at half-staff. President Mahama has also suspended all official duties for the day as the nation begins to mourn.
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The post Ghana Helicopter Crash: Defence and Environment Ministers Among 8 Killed appeared first on iHarare News.
