Ghana has been thrown into mourning following the tragic death of two serving ministers, Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed in a military helicopter crash on Wednesday.
The incident, confirmed by the Ghanaian presidency, claimed the lives of all eight people on board, including three crew members and five passengers.
The Ghana Armed Forces had earlier reported that an air force helicopter departed Accra shortly after 9:00 a.m., en route to Obuasi, northwest of the capital, before disappearing from radar.
It was later confirmed that the ministers were aboard the ill-fated flight.
Among the other victims were Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Ghana’s deputy national security coordinator and former agriculture minister, and Samuel Sarpong, vice chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Presidential Chief of Staff Julius Debrah conveyed condolences on behalf of President John Mahama, stating, “The president and government extend our condolences and sympathies to the families of our comrades and the servicemen who died in service to the country.”
A medical doctor by training, Boamah had only recently assumed the role of Defence Minister following Mahama’s return to power in January.
His appointment came at a crucial time as Ghana faced mounting threats of jihadist spillover from neighboring Burkina Faso, which has seen a surge in militant activity.
Boamah previously served as communications minister during Mahama’s 2012–2017 tenure and earlier as deputy environment minister.
He was scheduled to release a book titled “A Peaceful Man in an African Democracy”, a tribute to late President John Atta Mills, who died in office in 2012.
Just in May, Boamah had led a diplomatic delegation to Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, as Ghana sought to strengthen relations with its northern neighbors, many of which are now governed by military juntas following recent coups.
In the wake of the crash, the presidency has ordered all flags to be flown at half-staff, while President Mahama has cancelled all official engagements for the day.
