Latest news with #GhanaAirForce
India.com
6 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Ghanas Defence And Environment Ministers Killed In Military Helicopter Crash
New Delhi: Ghana's defence minister Edward Omane Boamah and environment minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were among eight people killed in a military helicopter crash on Wednesday, the presidency confirmed. The Ghana Air Force chopper, carrying three crew members and five passengers, went down in a forested area in the southern Ashanti region. Local television outlet Joy News aired cell phone footage from the crash site, showing the wreckage smouldering in thick forest cover earlier in the day, before the identities of the victims were confirmed. Boamah, who took charge of the defence ministry following President John Mahama's swearing-in in January, died alongside Muhammed, 50, who was serving as minister of environment, science, and technology. Muhammed had been scheduled to attend the ongoing United Nations conference in Geneva focused on negotiating a global treaty to combat plastic pollution. According to local reports, the helicopter had been en route to an event related to illegal mining, a pressing environmental challenge in Ghana, when it crashed. Authorities have confirmed that all individuals on board were killed. "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," said Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff to President Mahama. The Ghana Armed Forces stated that an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the crash involving the Z9 helicopter. Earlier on Wednesday, military officials had reported that the aircraft went off radar shortly after departing from Accra around 9:00 a.m. local time (0900 GMT). It was headed to the town of Obuasi, located northwest of the capital. Among the others killed in the crash 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). Boamah had been leading the defence ministry at a time when Ghana faced growing concerns over security along its northern border with Burkina Faso, where jihadist activity has surged. Although Ghana has not experienced the direct spillover of extremist violence seen in neighbouring Togo and Benin, analysts have warned of increasing arms trafficking and militant infiltration from the Sahel. A medical doctor by profession, Boamah previously held several key government roles, including communications minister during Mahama's 2012–2017 presidency and deputy minister for environment. Minister Muhammed had been at the forefront of Ghana's battle against illegal gold mining, known locally as "galamsey," which has severely impacted agricultural land and water sources. The issue has significantly affected cocoa production and was a major theme during the election campaign that brought Mahama back to power last year. This year, Ghana established the Ghana Gold Board and implemented a ban on foreign participation in the local gold trade, signaling the government's commitment to cracking down on illegal mining. Muhammed was described as a "committed environmentalist" and "deeply respected" by both African and international colleagues, said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in a statement from Geneva. Just weeks ago, Muhammed was elected to the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) in Nairobi. Condolences have also been expressed by leaders of the African Union and ECOWAS. Boamah had recently led a diplomatic mission to Ouagadougou as Ghana worked to strengthen relations with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, three countries now ruled by military juntas that have distanced themselves from ECOWAS. He was also preparing to publish a book titled "A Peaceful Man in an African Democracy", a tribute to former President John Atta Mills, who passed away in 2012. In response to the tragedy, President Mahama has suspended all official activities for the remainder of the week. The presidency also declared three days of national mourning beginning Thursday, during which all flags will be flown at half-mast.
DW
6 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Ghana: Two ministers among eight killed in helicopter crash – DW – 08/06/2025
Ghana's defense and environment ministers died in a helicopter crash that killed all eight people on board. Ghana's Defense Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were among the eight people killed in a helicopter crash on Wednesday. Everyone on the military Z9 helicopter was killed in the accident in Ghana's central Ashanti region, a government spokesperson said. The Ghanaian Armed Forces said the air force helicopter took off in the morning from the capital, Accra, and was heading northwest into the interior toward the gold-mining area of Obuasi in Ashanti when it went off the radar. The wreckage was later found in the forested Adansi area of Ashanti. Three other officials, including the vice chair of the ruling National Democratic Congress party, Samuel Sarpong, were killed alongside three Ghana Air Force crew members. The cause of the crash was not immediately known, and the armed forces said they had launched an investigation. Ghana news site My Joy Online reported a strong security presence of military and police at the crash site. Ghanaian media reported that the helicopter was on its way to an event on illegal mining, a major environmental issue in the west African country. "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," said President John Dramani Mahama's chief of staff. Mahama declared three days of mourning and had canceled his official activities for the day, the spokesperson said. Mourners gathered at the Boamah's residence as well as at the party's headquarters, and Ghana's government described the crash as a "national tragedy." Mahama was "down, down emotionally," Haruna Iddrisu, Ghana's education minister, told reporters outside the presidency after news broke of the crash. Muhammed, the environment minister, was at the helm as the country battles a scourge of illegal, informal gold mining that has ravaged farmlands and contaminated water. A medical doctor by training, Boamah's career in government included stints as communications minister during Mahama's previous 2012-2017 tenure. Before that, he served as the deputy environment minister.
Morocco World
6 days ago
- Politics
- Morocco World
Ghana's Defense, Environment Ministers Die in Helicopter Crash
Rabat — Two senior Ghanaian ministers died Wednesday when their military helicopter crashed in the country's south, the presidency announced. Defense Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were among the victims of the deadly crash, according to Julius Debrah, chief of staff to President John Mahama. The military helicopter disappeared from radar screens shortly after taking off from Accra around 9:00 AM local time, heading northwest toward Obuasi. The Ghana Air Force had reported the aircraft missing earlier Wednesday, saying it carried three crew members and five passengers. 'The president and government express their condolences and solidarity to the families of our fallen comrades and military personnel who died serving the nation,' Debrah said in a statement. The crash also killed Alhaji Muniru Muhammad, deputy national security coordinator and former agriculture minister, and Samuel Sarpong, vice president of President Mahama's National Democratic Congress (NDC) party. President Mahama suspended all official activities for the day following the tragedy, with the presidency ordering flags to fly at half-mast in honor of the victims. The helicopter went down in southern Ghana, though officials have not released specific details about the crash location or cause. Military authorities continue to investigate the incident. The deaths represent a significant blow to Ghana's government, losing two cabinet ministers and other senior officials in a single tragedy. Both ministers played key roles in Mahama's administration, with Boamah overseeing national defense and Muhammed handling environmental policy. Ghana's military has not yet announced plans for recovering the aircraft or conducting a full investigation into what caused the helicopter to crash. Tags: GhanaGhanian ministers diehelicopter crash
Mint
6 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Ghana helicopter crash kills defence and environment ministers, 6 others
A military helicopter crash in Ghana's Ashanti region has killed all eight people on board, including Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed. The Z9 aircraft vanished from radar just after 9:12 AM local time Wednesday during a flight from the capital Accra to Obuasi, a gold-mining town 200km northwest. Rescue teams found the wreckage in the Adansi Akrofuom district, where graphic images showed charred remains amid the debris. President John Mahama canceled all official activities and ordered flags flown at half-mast nationwide. Chief of Staff Julius Debrah called it a "national tragedy," expressing condolences to families of the victims who died 'in service to the country'. The victims included five government officials and three aircrew members. Alongside the ministers, the crash killed Deputy National Security Coordinator Alhaji Muniru Mohammed (a former agriculture minister), Samuel Sarpong (vice-chair of ruling party NDC), and ex-parliamentary candidate Samuel Aboagye . The crew, Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah, were experienced Ghana Air Force personnel. The group was traveling to an anti-illegal mining event when the helicopter lost contact near Obuasi, a region battling environmental damage from gold extraction . No distress call was issued before the crash, leaving investigators puzzled about the cause. The deaths create critical security gaps for Ghana. Defence Minister Boamah, a medical doctor turned politician, had recently strengthened border defences against Islamist fighters spilling over from Burkina Faso . Just three months ago, he led diplomatic talks with Burkina Faso's military leaders amid rising arms trafficking along Ghana's northern frontier. Environment Minister Muhammed's death also halts key initiatives against illegal gold mining, which has poisoned rivers and farmlands . The helicopter involved, a Chinese-made Z9 often used for medical evacuations, had no known prior mechanical issues. This marks Ghana's deadliest air disaster since 2012, when a cargo plane crash killed 10 in Accra. Ghana faces profound uncertainty as investigations begin. The Air Force has grounded all Z9 helicopters pending a probe into possible causes, from mechanical failure to weather or human error. Security analyst Emmanuel Kotin warned: 'Losing key leadership amid Sahel terrorism threats requires immediate acting appointments'. Mourners gathered at the crash site, laying flowers where Ashanti Regional Minister Frank Amoakohene had rushed to the scene hours earlier . As night fell, President Mahama addressed the nation, pledging "transparent findings" and vowing the officials' work 'will not be abandoned'. With funerals pending, Ghana observes seven days of national mourning for leaders whose final journey ended in flames above gold country.
