ACCRA, GHANA – Ghana plunged into three days of national mourning Thursday after a military helicopter crash killed eight people, including Defence Minister **Edward Omane Boamah** and Environment, Science and Technology Minister **Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed**. The Z9 aircraft crashed in dense forest near Adansi in the Ashanti region Wednesday morning while en route to an event addressing illegal gold mining in Obuasi .
Key Crash Details
The helicopter departed Accra at approximately 9:00 a.m. carrying three crew members and five passengers, including high-ranking officials:
– **Samuel Sarpong**, Vice-Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress
– **Alhaji Muniru Mohammed**, Deputy National Security Coordinator and former Agriculture Minister
– Three Ghana Air Force personnel: Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah
Radar contact was lost during flight amid foggy conditions, with local farmers reporting “unusually low altitude” before a “loud bang” . No survivors were found at the charred wreckage site, where recovery teams worked through dense vegetation .
National and Security Impact
President John Mahama, who described the crash as a “personal loss,” canceled all scheduled activities and declared national mourning through Saturday. Flags flew at half-mast nationwide as mourners gathered at the ministers’ residences and party headquarters .
The deaths create immediate governance challenges:
– **Boamah**, a physician-turned-minister, was spearheading efforts against jihadist encroachment near Ghana’s northern border with Burkina Faso, where militant recruitment has surged .
– **Muhammed** was a key figure battling *galamsey* (illegal mining), which has devastated farmlands and water sources .
Investigation and Context
Flight data and cockpit voice recorders (*black boxes*) have been recovered for analysis . While the cause remains undetermined, weather conditions were notably adverse, with Ghana’s meteorological agency warning of unseasonal cold, rain, and fog .
This marks Ghana’s deadliest air incident since 2012, though the country maintains one of Africa’s strongest aviation safety records. Notably, the Z9 model involved has been used reliably for medical and transport missions .
*— With field reports from Adansi and Accra*
Why This Matters
The simultaneous loss of two senior ministers strikes at Ghana’s stability amid regional security threats and environmental crises. Boamah’s death creates vulnerability along the volatile Burkina Faso border, while Muhammed’s absence hampers critical anti-mining operations. As bodies undergo forensic identification in South Africa, Ghanaians await answers about a tragedy that has reshaped their nation’s leadership overnight .
