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Accra, August 7, 2025
The Presidency on Thursday held a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the Ceremonial Gardens of Jubilee House in honour of the eight individuals who tragically lost their lives in Wednesday’s military helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region.
The ceremony marked the official beginning of a three-day national mourning period, declared by President John Dramani Mahama, to pay tribute to the deceased, among them two senior cabinet ministers, three military officers, and three senior political figures.
A Nation in Mourning
Attendees at the symbolic event included:
- President John Dramani Mahama
- Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyeman
- Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah
- NDC National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia
- Members of the Council of State
- Grieving family members
- Government officials
- Security personnel
- Members of the public
Each laid wreaths and stood in solemn reflection to honour the memory of the fallen patriots.
“This tragedy has shaken the very soul of our Republic. Today, we come together not only to mourn, but to celebrate the service and sacrifice of our brothers,” President Mahama said during a brief but emotional address.
National Mourning Continues
The national mourning period continues until Saturday, August 9, and will culminate in an “Evening of Reflections and Memorials” at the Forecourt of the State House.
State funeral and burial arrangements are expected to be announced in the coming days.
The Fallen
Those who lost their lives in the crash include:
- Dr. Edward Omane Boamah – Minister for Defence
- Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed – Minister for Environment, Science and Technology
- Alhaji Muniru Mohammed – Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator
- Dr. Samuel Sarpong – Vice Chairman, NDC
- Samuel Aboagye – Former Parliamentary Candidate
- Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala – Pilot
- Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu – Co-pilot
- Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah – Crew member
The eight were aboard a Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 helicopter en route to a government assignment in Obuasi when the aircraft lost radar contact and crashed in a forested area.
One of Ghana’s Darkest Moments
The crash, widely described as one of the darkest moments in Ghana’s recent history, has triggered widespread expressions of grief from all sectors of society, including political leaders, civil society organisations, religious groups, and the international community.
