President John Dramani Mahama has assured the families of the August 6, 2025, helicopter crash victims that the government and the entire Ghanaian populace still mourn with them, a year after the loss of their relatives.
The President says the eight persons whom he described as patriotic citizens who dedicated their lives to serving the country have etched their names in the nation’s history through their sacrifice.
He gave the families the assurance during a national inter-faith memorial service held in honour of the eight victims of the Ghana Armed Forces helicopter crash on Thursday, August 5, 2026.
According to him, even though a year has passed after the incident, the pain of the loss remains deeply imprinted on the hearts of the families and the loved ones they left behind
“To the bereaved families, permit me once again to convey the deepest condolences of the government and the people of Ghana. I know that no speech can erase your pain, no anniversary can fill that empty seat at your dining table, and no ceremonies can replace the voices that you long to hear.
“You have borne your grief with remarkable courage and dignity, and in doing so, you have reminded all of us that love does not end with death; it endures in memory, faith and the lives we choose to live thereafter,” the President stated, assuring the families the deceased were asset to the State and would be remembered.
“Please rest assured that the nation still mourns with you, and your loved ones did not die alone; they belong to all of Ghana, and we will continue to remember them.”
The Wednesday, August 6, 2025 crash occurred in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region when a Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 helicopter travelling from Accra to the region went down during an official assignment.
The tragedy claimed the lives of Defence Minister Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah; Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed; Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Alhaji Muniru Mohammed; former Ashanti Regional Minister Dr Samuel Sarpong; former NDC parliamentary candidate Samuel Aboagye; and three Ghana Armed Forces personnel — Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manaen Twum Ampadu and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
