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The Citizen
07-08-2025
- 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
07-08-2025
- 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:
India.com
07-08-2025
- 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.
New Straits Times
07-08-2025
- 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.
RTHK
07-08-2025
- Politics
- RTHK
Two Ghana ministers killed in helicopter crash
Two Ghana ministers killed in helicopter crash Ghana's Presidential Chief of Staff confirmed that ministers Edward Omane Boamah and Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were among eight killed in a helicopter crash. Image: Reuters Ghana's defence and environment ministers were killed in a military helicopter crash on 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 9.00am local time. 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. (AFP)
