President John Dramani Mahama has declared three days of national mourning beginning Thursday, August 7, in honour of the eight individuals who perished in Wednesday’s tragic Ghana Armed Forces helicopter crash in the Ashanti Region.
In a solemn statement released by the Presidency, all official activities and engagements of the President have been suspended for the remainder of the week.
The Chief of Staff has also ordered that all national flags be flown at half-mast until further notice.
“This is a national tragedy,” the statement, signed by presidential spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu, read, as the nation grapples with the sudden loss of prominent government officials and military personnel.
The crash claimed the lives of:
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Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Minister for Defence
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Dr. Alhaji Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation
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Samuel Sarpong, Vice-Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
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Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator
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Samuel Aboagye, former Member of Parliament
Also among the deceased were three members of the Ghana Air Force crew:
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Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala
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Flying Officer Mane-Twum Ampadu
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Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah
The Z-9 military helicopter was on an official assignment when it crashed in the Dampia Range Forest Reserve in the Adansi Akrofuom District.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
As of Thursday morning, all eight bodies were being recovered and transported from the crash site.
A strong military and police presence has been deployed in the area to support the recovery operation and maintain public order.
Emergency vehicles, including ambulances and logistics trucks, were seen leaving the site as the retrieval effort progressed.
The country remains in a state of shock as tributes pour in from across the political divide and civil society, mourning the loss of experienced leaders and dedicated servicemen.
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