By Joy Yesufu
Ghana has been thrown into mourning following the tragic deaths of two senior government ministers and seven others in a military helicopter crash on Wednesday in the Ashanti region.
The deceased include Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment, Science and Technology Minister Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. The crash also claimed the lives of three other government officials and three members of the Ghanaian Air Force crew on board.
Confirming the incident at a press conference in Accra, President John Mahama’s Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, described the tragedy as a “national loss.”
“The president and government extend our deepest condolences to the families of our comrades and the servicemen who died in service to the nation,” he said.
The Ghana Armed Forces had earlier reported that radar contact was lost with the Z-9 military helicopter before it crashed in a remote forested area in southern Ghana.
Emergency response teams were immediately dispatched, but all nine occupants were confirmed dead on arrival.
Investigations have been launched to determine the cause of the crash.
This incident marks one of the most significant aviation tragedies involving top-ranking officials in the country’s recent history.
The deaths of Boamah and Mohammed, key figures in national security and environmental policy are expected to leave a profound gap in the Mahama administration.
Flags across government institutions have been lowered to half-mast, and tributes are pouring in from leaders across the continent.
