BY Nadia Ntiamoah
Ghana has been plunged into national mourning following the deaths of eight people, including two serving cabinet ministers, in a military helicopter crash in the Adansi area of the Ashanti Region on Wednesday morning, August 6, 2025.
The fatalities include Defence Minister Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah and Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.
Also among the deceased are Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator and former Minister for Food and Agriculture; Dr Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC); Samuel Aboagye, a former parliamentary candidate; and three members of the Ghana Air Force — Squadron Leader Peter Baafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manaen Twum Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
Government’s Confirmation and Mourning Measures
Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, speaking on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, confirmed the tragedy in a national announcement.
The President directed that all national flags fly at half-mast until further notice in honour of the victims.
In his statement, Debrah expressed the government’s deepest sympathies to the families of the “comrades and servicemen who died in service to the country,” describing the incident as “a profound loss to the nation.”
Political Parties Unite In Grief
The ruling NDC and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) have both expressed shock and sorrow at the loss.
NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong, in a statement, described the crash as “a devastating blow to the families and a profound loss to the entire nation.”
He called for a thorough, transparent, and swift investigation into the cause of the crash, stressing that “the dignity of the lives lost demands answers and accountability.”
Crash Details And Response Efforts
The Ghana Armed Forces has confirmed that the helicopter was on an official mission when it went off radar over the Adansi area.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene to find the wreckage engulfed in flames, with no survivors.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, with military engineers and aviation safety experts working to determine whether technical failure, adverse weather, or other factors played a role.
Historical Context: Previous Military Aviation Scares
This disaster comes just over a year after a March 19, 2024 incident in which a military helicopter carrying 21 people crash-landed near Bonsukrom in the Western Region during an offshore powerline inspection.
That earlier accident, which resulted in no fatalities, sparked public debate over the maintenance and safety of Ghana’s military aircraft fleet.
National Shock And Tributes
The deaths of two cabinet ministers, a senior national security official, and key political figures have shaken the political establishments.
Tributes have poured in from across the political spectrum, with leaders calling for unity in grief.
As the nation waits for the outcome of the official investigation, the government has urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information about the incident.
For now, the country is observing a sombre period of mourning, united in grief for the eight lives lost.
