Accra, Ghana – August 6, 2025 — Ghana has been thrown into deep mourning following the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of two sitting ministers—Edward Omane Boamah, Minister of Defence, and Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology.The Ghana Armed Forces confirmed that the military chopper carrying five passengers and three crew members lost contact with radar shortly after takeoff from Accra at around 9:00 a.m. The aircraft was en route to Obuasi, a town in the Ashanti Region, when it suddenly disappeared.
“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.”
Among the dead were other high-profile figures including Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Ghana’s deputy national security coordinator and former minister of agriculture, and Samuel Sarpong, vice chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The crash has sent shockwaves across the country, not only due to the stature of the victims but also the growing concerns about air safety and national security in the region.
Boamah, a trained medical doctor, was appointed defence minister in January after Mahama’s return to power. He had previously served as communications minister and deputy environment minister during Mahama’s earlier tenure (2012–2017).
Muhammed, known for his environmental advocacy and sharp political commentary, was actively driving Ghana’s environmental reform agenda and climate diplomacy.
This tragedy comes at a time when Ghana’s security concerns are on the rise due to increasing jihadist threats from Burkina Faso and Mali. Boamah had just returned from a security visit to Ouagadougou in May, amid efforts to strengthen regional cooperation despite the political tensions with military-led governments in the Sahel.
President Mahama, who cancelled all official engagements upon receiving the news, has ordered that all flags be flown at half-mast across the nation. Tributes continue to pour in from leaders within Ghana and across West Africa.
Boamah was also reportedly preparing to launch a book titled “A Peaceful Man in an African Democracy,” in honor of late President John Atta Mills.
This is not the first time Ghana has lost key officials in aviation incidents, and calls for a thorough investigation into this latest tragedy have already begun. Aviation authorities have launched an inquiry into the cause of the crash.
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