Ghana’s Defence and Environment Ministers Die in Military Helicopter crash

Ghana was plunged into deep mourning on Wednesday as two strategic ministers-Defence, and Environment, Science and Technology, died in a military helicopter crash in the central Ashanti region.

Six other people also perished in the crash, a government spokesperson confirmed.

Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah, and Environment, Science and Technology Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, 50, were killed in the crash.

The Chief of Staff, Mr. Julius Debrah, described the accident as a “national tragedy”.

Earlier, the Ghana Armed Forces had announced the Z9 helicopter, which was carrying three crew and five passengers, had gone “off the radar”.

The tragic helicopter had taken off from the capital, Accra, at 09:12 local time (and GMT) and was heading to the town of Obuasi for an event to tackle illegal mining.

Social media was replete images purportedly showing the charred remains of the helicopter.

The authorities have not confirmed the cause of the crash.

In the immediate aftermath of the accident, the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, directed the country’s flags to fly at half-mast.

On behalf of President John Dramani Mahama and the government, Debrah extended condolences to bereaved Families of “the servicemen who died in service to the country.”

Ghana’s Deputy National Security Coordinator and former Agriculture Minister Alhaji Muniru Mohammed was also among the dead, along with Samuel Sarpong, Vice-Chairman of the governing National Democratic Congress party.

The crew members were named as Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.

The news agency, AFP, quoted Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, as saying that President Mahama was feeling “down, down emotionally”.

Boamah served under Mahama’s previous government as communications minister and before that he was made minister of environment. As defence minister, he tackled jihadist activity that was brewing in the northern border with Burkina Faso.

The BBC recalls that in 2022, a France-based NGO, Promediation, said its research showed that jihadist groups had recruited between 200 and 300 young Ghanaians.

The BBC also recalls that violence in the area has also been on the rise, with concerns that jihadists may be trying to exploit communal in-fighting between rival communities in northern Ghana.

Boamah’s book, A Peaceful Man In An African Democracy, about former President John Atta Mills, was due to come out later in the year.

Muhammed was at the forefront of the battle against illegal gold mining, which has wrecked the environment and contaminated rivers and lakes.

Protests against the practice, known locally as Galamsey, peaked during Mahama’s run for the presidency last year.