President John Dramani Mahama has declared three days of national mourning, effective Thursday, August 7, 2025, in memory of the eight individuals who tragically lost their lives in a military helicopter crash on Wednesday.
The announcement was made through an official statement from the presidency, which also confirmed the suspension of all presidential activities and public engagements for the remainder of the week.
The fatal crash occurred in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region and claimed the lives of prominent government officials including the Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, and the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed.
Others who perished in the accident were Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator; Samuel Aboagye, a former parliamentary candidate; and Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The Ghana Armed Forces also lost three of its personnel — Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
According to preliminary investigations, the victims were aboard a Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 helicopter headed to Obuasi when the aircraft went off radar and was later discovered in a dense forested area.
Search and rescue teams led by national security personnel have since recovered all bodies.
The Office of the Chief of Staff has directed that national flags be flown at half-mast across the country until further notice, as the nation mourns what many have described as one of the darkest moments in Ghana’s recent history.
