Ghana’s Defence and Environment Ministers Killed in Tragic Helicopter Crash

Ghana is in mourning following the tragic deaths of two senior government ministers in a helicopter crash on Wednesday. The country’s Defence Minister, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, and Minister of Environment, Science, and Technology, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, were confirmed dead after the military chopper they were traveling in lost contact with air traffic control.

The Ghana Armed Forces reported that the helicopter, carrying three crew members and five passengers, vanished from radar earlier in the day. Hours later, television station Joy News aired distressing footage from the crash site, showing smouldering wreckage scattered across a heavily forested area. Authorities later confirmed that all on board perished in the accident.

Dr. Boamah, who was appointed defence minister earlier this year under President John Mahama’s administration, was a key figure at a time of rising security concerns in the region.

Jihadist activity in neighboring Burkina Faso has raised alarms over potential spillover into Ghana, prompting heightened vigilance along the northern border. Boamah, a medical doctor by training, previously served as communications minister and as deputy environment minister during Mahama’s 2012–2017 term.

Muhammed, the late environment minister, was reportedly traveling with the delegation to attend an event focused on illegal mining—a pressing environmental issue in Ghana. His work was central to national efforts aimed at curbing environmental degradation linked to unregulated gold mining, often referred to locally as galamsey.

In a statement issued by Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, President Mahama extended condolences to the families of the deceased ministers and military personnel, praising them for their service and dedication to the country.

“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,” Debrah said.

The loss of two high-ranking ministers has sent shockwaves throughout Ghana and the wider West African region. As investigations into the cause of the crash continue, the government has promised full transparency and accountability.

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