The Ghanaian government has confirmed the deaths of eight individuals, including two top ministers, in a tragic military helicopter crash that occurred on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, in the Ashanti region.
The victims were on board a Z-9 helicopter operated by the Ghana Armed Forces, which took off from Accra at 09:12 GMT en route to Obuasi for an official anti-illegal mining assignment. Shortly after departure, the aircraft lost contact with air traffic control and was later found wrecked, with no survivors.
Among the deceased were Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed. The crash also claimed the lives of Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator and former Minister of Agriculture; Samuel Sarpong, Vice-Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC); Samuel Aboagye, a former parliamentary candidate; and three military personnel: Squadron Leader Peter Baafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manaen Twum Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo.
Images shared on social media showed the charred remains of the aircraft, although authorities have not yet disclosed the official cause of the crash. The Ghana Armed Forces, in a statement on its official X handle, confirmed that all eight passengers on board were killed.
Reacting to the tragedy, President John Dramani Mahama described it as a national disaster and canceled his engagements. He ordered all national flags flown at half-mast in honour of the victims. His Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, conveyed condolences to the bereaved families and praised the victims as “dedicated public servants who gave their lives in service to the nation.”
The two deceased ministers were prominent figures in Ghana’s political landscape. Boamah, who previously served as Minister of Communications and Environment, was instrumental in security efforts in Ghana’s northern regions and was set to release a biography of the late President John Atta Mills later this year.
Muhammed, widely recognized for his fight against illegal gold mining (locally known as “Galamsey”), had spearheaded national efforts to curb the environmentally devastating practice.
The government has pledged a full investigation into the cause of the crash as the nation continues to mourn.
