ACCRA – Ghanaian defence and environment ministers died on Wednesday when a military helicopter carrying three crew members and five passengers crashed in a forest south of the country, the presidency announced.
Footage aired by Joy News showed the wreckage burning in a heavily wooded area before confirming that ministers Edward Omane Boamah and Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were among those killed. Boamah, who became the defence minister after President John Mahama’s January inauguration, and Muhammed (50), the environment, science and technology minister, were heading to events related to the ongoing United Nations climate talks in Geneva.
Reports indicated the helicopter was en route to address issues linked to illegal mining, a major environmental concern in Ghana.
All on board lost their lives in the crash in the Ashanti region.
President Mahama and his government expressed condolences to the families of the deceased, with Mahama’s chief of staff, Julius Debrah, offering his sympathies.
The Ghanaian Armed Forces launched an investigation into the crash of the Z9 helicopter, which earlier that day went off radar after leaving Accra around 9h00 am, en route to Obuasi.
The victims also included Ghana’s deputy national security coordinator Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, a former agriculture minister, and Samuel Sarpong, vice chairman of Mahama’s National Democratic Congress.
Boamah, tasked with overseeing Ghana’s defense amid rising jihadist tensions on Burkina Faso’s northern border, faced challenges from increased arms trafficking and militant crossings, although Ghana had so far avoided spillover.
A trained doctor, Boamah previously served as communications and deputy environment minister under Mahama’s earlier term.
Muhammed, known for leading efforts against illegal gold mining (“Galamsey”), which harms farmland and water sources, was highly respected across Africa; UNEP’s Inger Andersen praised his environmental dedication. Recently elected to the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment, Muhammed also played a role in Ghana’s crackdown on illegal mining by establishing the Ghana Gold Board and restricting foreign involvement. Boamah also led diplomatic efforts with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger amid regional instability. He was preparing to publish a book on former president John Atta Mills. Mahama cancelled upcoming events, declaring three days of mourning with flags at half-mast, as the nation mourns these losses.
-Nampa/AFP