Accra: The government and people of Ghana today laid to rest the individuals who perished in last week's military helicopter crash. It was a solemn state funeral and burial that drew tears, sadness, and heartfelt tributes.
According to Ghana News Agency, government officials, military leaders, grieving families, and colleagues gathered at Independence Square in a ceremony steeped in sorrow. Black-clad mourners stood in hushed reverence as the caskets, draped in the national flag, were carried in a slow procession by military pallbearers, plunging the funeral grounds into uncontrollable tears.
In emotional tributes, relatives and colleagues spoke of the courage, dedication, and sacrifice of the fallen, their voices breaking under the weight of grief. Many described the loss as not only personal but a wound to the entire nation that would never be forgotten.
The President, ministers of state, senior military officers, and dignitaries from across the globe who came to sympathize with the nation, bowed their heads in respect, while tears flowed among family members, some clutching framed photographs of their loved ones. After the service, the bodies were conveyed to the Military Cemetery at Tse Addo, near Burma Camp, where they were interred with full military honors, gun salutes echoing into the afternoon air.
On board the Z-9 helicopter that crashed on August 6, 2025, were Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, Minister of Defence; Alhaji Dr. Murtala Mohammed, Member of Parliament for Tamale Central and Minister of Environment, Science, and Technology; Alhaji Muniru Mohammed Limuna, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator; Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress; and Samuel Aboagye, Deputy Director-General of National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO). The rest were Squadron Leader Peter Anala of the Ghana Air Force, Flying Officer Twum Ampadu of the Ghana Air Force, and Sergeant Ernest Addo of the Ghana Air Force.
They were on their way to Obuasi for a national assignment on illegal mining, also known as galamsey, when the aircraft crashed at Sikaman in the Adansi District in the Ashanti Region. Addressing the nation at the funeral, President John Dramani Mahama posthumously promoted the three military officers who lost their lives in the crash.
The President announced the promotion of the late Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala to the rank of Wing Commander; the late Flying Officer Manaen Twum Ampadu to the rank of Flight Lieutenant, and the late Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah to the rank of Flight Sergeant. The President also announced the creation of a Children's Support Fund for the children of the victims of the crash, ensuring they would not be deprived of the opportunities, care, and security their parents provided.
The loss of the eight heroes, though tragic, became a moment of unity, drawing the nation together in shared grief and remembrance. In mourning side by side, Ghanaians found strength in one another, honoring the fallen not only with tears but with a renewed bond of national solidarity.
