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Al-Ahram Weekly
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt condoles Ghana over victims of helicopter crash in Ashanti region - Foreign Affairs
Egypt extended Friday its deepest condolences to Ghana amid a helicopter crash in the southern Ashanti region, which claimed the lives of all eight people on board, among them the defense and environment ministers. Related Two Ghana ministers killed in helicopter crash According to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Egypt expressed its full solidarity with Ghana, extending its condolences to the victims' families. On Wednesday, a Z9 air force helicopter, carrying three crew and five passengers, went down in a forest in the south while en route to an event on illegal mining, a major environmental issue in the West African country. Ghana's Defence Minister, Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were both killed in the crash. The Ghanaian Armed Forces said investigations had been launched to determine the cause of the crash. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Two Ghana ministers killed in helicopter crash
Ghana's defence and environment ministers were killed in a military helicopter crash en route to a mining-related event. Ghana's defence and environment ministers were killed in a military helicopter crash Wednesday, the presidency said, after the air force chopper carrying three crew and five passengers came down in a forest in the south. Television station Joy News broadcast cell phone footage from the crash scene showing smouldering wreckage in a heavily forested area earlier in the day, before it was revealed that ministers Edward Omane Boamah and Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were among the dead. Boamah became President John Mahama's defence minister shortly after Mahama's swearing-in in January. Muhammed, 50, was serving as the minister of environment, science and technology. He had been scheduled to attend the UN talks currently underway in Geneva aimed at hammering out a landmark global treaty on combating the scourge of plastic pollution. ALSO READ: Businessman steps in to clarify helipad saga 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. Everyone on board was killed in the accident in the southern Ashanti region, authorities said. '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 Mahama's chief of staff Julius Debrah. The Ghanaian Armed Forces said investigations had been launched to determine the cause of the crash of the Z9 helicopter. The military had reported earlier Wednesday that an air force helicopter had dropped off the radar after taking off from Accra just after 9:00 am local time (0900 GMT). It had been headed towards the town of Obuasi, northwest of the capital. ALSO READ: Siemens executive, family among six killed in New York helicopter crash Ministers' challenges Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Ghana's deputy national security coordinator and former agriculture minister, was also among the dead, along with Samuel Sarpong, vice chairman of Mahama's National Democratic Congress party. Boamah was leading Ghana's defence ministry at a time when jihadist activity across its northern border in Burkina Faso has become increasingly volatile. While Ghana has so far avoided a jihadist spillover from the Sahel — unlike neighbours Togo and Benin — observers have warned of increased arms trafficking and of militants from Burkina Faso crossing the porous border to use Ghana as a rear base. 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 was the deputy minister for environment. Muhammed, the environment minister, was at the helm as the country battles illegal, informal gold mining that has ravaged farmlands and contaminated water. ALSO READ: Investigators recover plane black boxes from Washington air collision 'Galamsey', as the practice is locally known, has been threatening cocoa production in particular and became a major issue in the election that saw Mahama elected last year. The establishment earlier this year of the Ghana Gold Board and the banning of foreigners from the local gold trade were seen as the first concrete signs of a crackdown on the practice by the new administration. Muhammed was a 'committed environmentalist' and 'deeply respected' by peers in Africa and globally, said UNEP Executive director Inger Andersen in Geneva, in a statement. Only a few weeks ago the minister was elected to be a member of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) in Nairobi, said Andersen. Condolence messages also came from the ECOWAS and Africa Union chiefs. ALSO READ: Bodies pulled from Washington river after plane collides with helicopter Regional tensions Boamah led a delegation to Ouagadougou in May as Ghana pursued increased diplomacy with Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger — all ruled by juntas who have broken with the west African regional bloc ECOWAS. He had been set to release a book titled 'A Peaceful Man in an African Democracy', about former president John Atta Mills, who died in 2012. President Mahama suspended all his scheduled activities for the rest of the week and declared three days of mourning starting Thursday with all flags to be flown at half-mast, his office said. – By: © Agence France-Presse
Al-Ahram Weekly
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Two Ghana ministers killed in helicopter crash - Africa
Ghana's defence and environment ministers were killed in a military helicopter crash Wednesday, the presidency said, after the air force chopper carrying three crew and five passengers came down in a forest in the south. Television station Joy News broadcast cell phone footage from the crash scene showing smouldering wreckage in a heavily forested area earlier in the day, before it was revealed that ministers Edward Omane Boamah and Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were among the dead. Boamah became President John Mahama's defence minister shortly after Mahama's swearing-in in January. Muhammed, 50, was serving as the minister of environment, science and technology. He had been scheduled to attend the UN talks currently underway in Geneva aimed at hammering out a landmark global treaty on combating the scourge of plastic pollution. 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. Everyone on board was killed in the accident in the southern Ashanti region, authorities said. "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 Mahama's chief of staff, Julius Debrah. The Ghanaian Armed Forces said investigations had been launched to determine the cause of the crash of the Z9 helicopter. The military had reported earlier Wednesday that an air force helicopter had dropped off the radar after taking off from Accra just after 9:00 am local time (0900 GMT). It had been headed towards the town of Obuasi, northwest of the capital. - Ministers' challenges - Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Ghana's deputy national security coordinator and former agriculture minister, was also among the dead, along with Samuel Sarpong, vice chairman of Mahama's National Democratic Congress party. Boamah was leading Ghana's defence ministry at a time when jihadist activity across its northern border in Burkina Faso has become increasingly volatile. While Ghana has so far avoided a jihadist spillover from the Sahel -- unlike neighbours Togo and Benin -- observers have warned of increased arms trafficking and of militants from Burkina Faso crossing the porous border to use Ghana as a rear base. 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 was the deputy minister for environment. Muhammed, the environment minister, was at the helm as the country battles illegal, informal gold mining that has ravaged farmlands and contaminated water. "Galamsey", as the practice is locally known, has been threatening cocoa production in particular and has become a major issue in the election that saw Mahama elected last year. The establishment earlier this year of the Ghana Gold Board and the banning of foreigners from the local gold trade were seen as the first concrete signs of a crackdown on the practice by the new administration. Muhammed was a "committed environmentalist" and "deeply respected" by peers in Africa and globally, said UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen in Geneva, in a statement. Only a few weeks ago, the minister was elected to be a member of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) in Nairobi, said Andersen. Condolence messages also came from the ECOWAS and the African Union chiefs. - Regional tensions - Boamah led a delegation to Ouagadougou in May as Ghana pursued increased diplomacy with Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger -- all ruled by juntas who have broken with the West African regional bloc ECOWAS. He had been set to release a book titled "A Peaceful Man in an African Democracy", about former president John Atta Mills, who died in 2012. President Mahama suspended all his scheduled activities for the rest of the week and declared three days of mourning starting Thursday, with all flags to be flown at half-mast, his office said. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Two Ghana ministers killed in helicopter crash
ACCRA: Ghana's defence and environment ministers were killed in a military helicopter crash Wednesday, the presidency said, after the air force chopper carrying three crew and five passengers came down in a forest in the south. Television station Joy News broadcast cell phone footage from the crash scene showing smouldering wreckage in a heavily forested area earlier in the day, before it was revealed that ministers Edward Omane Boamah and Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were among the dead. Boamah became President John Mahama's defence minister shortly after Mahama's swearing-in in January. Muhammed, 50, was serving as the minister of environment, science and technology. He had been scheduled to attend the UN talks currently underway in Geneva aimed at hammering out a landmark global treaty on combating the scourge of plastic pollution. 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. Everyone on board was killed in the accident in the southern Ashanti region, authorities said. "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 Mahama's chief of staff Julius Debrah. The Ghanaian Armed Forces said investigations had been launched to determine the cause of the crash of the Z9 helicopter. The military had reported earlier Wednesday that an air force helicopter had dropped off the radar after taking off from Accra just after 9am local time (0900 GMT). It had been headed towards the town of Obuasi, northwest of the capital. Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Ghana's deputy national security coordinator and former agriculture minister, was also among the dead, along with Samuel Sarpong, vice chairman of Mahama's National Democratic Congress party. Boamah was leading Ghana's defence ministry at a time when jihadist activity across its northern border in Burkina Faso has become increasingly volatile. While Ghana has so far avoided a jihadist spillover from the Sahel -- unlike neighbours Togo and Benin -- observers have warned of increased arms trafficking and of militants from Burkina Faso crossing the porous border to use Ghana as a rear base. 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 was the deputy minister for environment. Muhammed, the environment minister, was at the helm as the country battles illegal, informal gold mining that has ravaged farmlands and contaminated water. "Galamsey", as the practice is locally known, has been threatening cocoa production in particular and became a major issue in the election that saw Mahama elected last year. The establishment earlier this year of the Ghana Gold Board and the banning of foreigners from the local gold trade were seen as the first concrete signs of a crackdown on the practice by the new administration. Muhammed was a "committed environmentalist" and "deeply respected" by peers in Africa and globally, said UNEP Executive director Inger Andersen in Geneva, in a statement. Only a few weeks ago the minister was elected to be a member of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) in Nairobi, said Andersen. Condolence messages also came from the ECOWAS and Africa Union chiefs. Boamah led a delegation to Ouagadougou in May as Ghana pursued increased diplomacy with Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger -- all ruled by juntas who have broken with the west African regional bloc ECOWAS. He had been set to release a book titled "A Peaceful Man in an African Democracy", about former president John Atta Mills, who died in 2012.
Daily Telegraph
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Telegraph
Ghana ministers among 8 dead in Ashanti region helicopter crash
Don't miss out on the headlines from Leaders. Followed categories will be added to My News. Ghana's defence and environment ministers are among eight dead after a helicopter crash tragically killed all eight passengers in the Ashanti region. The government Defence minster Edward Omane Boamah and environment minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were revealed to be among the dead after footage revealed the wreckage of the chopper which had dropped off the radar of armed forces. It is believed the crew were on its way to the town of Obuasi, northwest of the capital to an event to discuss illegal mining, a serious issue in the country. Muhammed, the environment minister, was at the helm as the country battles a scourge of illicit gold mining that has destroyed farmlands and contaminated water. Mr Boamah had only recently become President John Mahahma's defence minister after his swearing in at the beginning of the year, coming in at a time when armed groups across the country's northern border in Burkina Faso had become increasingly restive. 'The president and government extend our condolences and solidarity to the families of our comrades and soldiers who fell in their service to the nation,' Mahama's chief of staff Julius Debrah said. Other victims included the deputy national security co-ordinator, Alhaji Mohammad Muniru, and vice-chairman of Mahama's National Democratic Congress Party, Samuel Sarpong Ghanaian Armed Forces revealed an investigation has launched to determine the cause of the incident. The site of a military helicopter crash in Sikaman near Adansi, Ashanti region, Ghana. Photo: AP Photo/Hafiz Tijani. It was reported President Mahama was 'down, down, down emotionally' after news of the crash broke. Mr Mahama was in part elected to thwart the illegal mining, which was also threatening cocoa production. The first concrete steps were made earlier in the year with the newly formed Ghana Gold Board, which banned foreigners from the local gold trade to help combat the issue. Edward Omane Boamah (R), Ghana's defense minister who was killed in a helicopter crash along with several other top officials. Photo: AP Photo/Christian Thompson. 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 was the deputy minister for the environment. As Ghana has pursued increased diplomacy with Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger – all ruled by military governments who have broken with the ECOWAS West African regional bloc – Boamah led a delegation to Ouagadougou in May. He had been set to release a book titled, A Peaceful Man in an African Democracy, about former President John Atta Mills, who died in 2012. Originally published as Helicopter crash kills eight, including Ghana's defence minister and environment minister who were seeking to end illegal gold mining
