Accra: The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has expressed profound sorrow over the deaths of five government officials and three Air Force personnel in Wednesday's military helicopter crash at Adansi Sikaman in the Ashanti Region. 'We of the GBA extend our heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the good people of Ghana, particularly to the families of these patriotic Ghanaians, who died in line of duty,' a statement jointly signed by Mrs. Efua Ghartey, National President, and Mr. Kwabena Baffour, National Secretary, said.
According to Ghana News Agency, the crash claimed the lives of Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Minister for Defence; Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation; Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator and former Minister for Food and Agriculture; and Dr. Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and former Ashanti Regional Minister. The others were Mr. Samuel Aboagye, former NDC parliamentary candidate for Obuasi East; Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala; Flying Officer Malin Twum-Ampadu; and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
The officials were traveling to Obuasi to attend the Responsible Co-operative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP), an anti-illegal mining initiative. President John Mahama has declared three days of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast indefinitely.
