Former President Akufo-Addo Mourns Ministers and Officials Lost in Helicopter Crash

Accra: Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has expressed sorrow at the demise of two serving ministers and six others in a military helicopter crash on Wednesday. The crash, which occurred in the Adansi area of the Ashanti Region, claimed the lives of Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, Minister for Defence, and Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, Minister for Environment and Science and Member of Parliament for Tamale Central.According to Ghana News Agency, also on board were Alhaji Limuna Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator; Dr. Samuel Sarpong, National Vice Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC); Mr. Samuel Aboagye, former NDC Parliamentary Candidate for Obuasi East; Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala; Flight Officer Manaen Twum Ampadu; and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah-all of whom perished. The incident was confirmed by the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, Mr. Julius Debrah, during a media briefing on Wednesday afternoon.The deceased were attending an anti-illegal mining event, known as the Responsible Co-operative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP), in Obuasi. In a statement released in Accra, former President Akufo-Addo described the incident as a tragedy that had shaken the nation. 'I have spoken and extended my deepest condolences to the President of the Republic, H.E. John Dramani Mahama and to Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, Chairman of the NDC,' the statement read.'I condole with our gallant men of the Ghana Air Force at this concerning time and salute their indispensable role in the public life of our country and extend further, my condolences to the bereaved families,' he added. 'May they find peaceful rest in the Bosom of the Almighty, until the Last Day of the Resurrection, when we shall all meet again,' he wrote.The Ghana Armed Forces and relevant aviation authorities have commenced investigations to determine the cause of the crash. The Presidency has directed national flags to fly at half-mast and declared three days of nat ional mourning from Thursday, August 7, 2025. Funeral arrangements will be announced later.