Ghana: Two Ministers, Six Others Die In Helicopter Crash 

The Ghanaian Defence Minister, Edward Omane Boamah and his Environment, Science and Technology counterpart, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, 50, have died in a helicopter crash alongside three crew members and five passengers. 

The incident has been described as a "national tragedy" by the Chief of Staff, to the president, Julius Debrah.

The victims died in a military helicopter in the central Ashanti region, along with six other people, a government spokesperson said.

Ghana’s Deputy National Security Coordinator and former Agriculture Minister Alhaji Muniru Mohammed was among the dead, with Samuel Sarpong, Vice-Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress party.

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

Earlier, the Ghana Armed Forces said the Z9 helicopter, which was carrying three crew and five passengers, had gone “off the radar,” adding that it had taken off from Accra, the country's capital at 09:12 local time (and GMT) and was heading to Obuasi town for an event to tackle illegal mining.

Images purportedly showing the charred remains of the helicopter are circulating on social media, even as the authorities are yet to confirm the cause of the crash.

Meanwhile, the chief of staff has directed the country’s flags to fly at half-mast and

extended condolences to “the servicemen who died in service to the country,” on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama and the government.

President Mahama was feeling “down, down emotionally”, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu was cited as saying by news agency AFP.

Boamah served under Mahama’s previous government as communications minister but, had earlier served as the Minister of Environment. As defence minster he tackled jihadist activity that was brewing in the northern border in Burkina Faso.

In 2022, a France-based NGO, Promediation, said its research showed that jihadist groups had recruited between 200 and 300 young Ghanaians.

Violence in the area has also been on the rise, with concerns that jihadists may be trying to exploit communal in-fighting between rival communities in northern Ghana.

Boamah’s book A Peaceful Man In An African Democracy, about former president John Atta Mills, was due to come out later in the year.

Muhammed was at the forefront of the battle against illegal gold mining, which has wrecked the environment and contaminated rivers and lakes.

Protests against the practice, known locally as Galamsey, peaked during Mahama’s run for the presidency last year.