Security analyst Richard Kumadoe has called for a comprehensive investigation into the military helicopter crash that killed eight people in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, emphasizing the need to determine whether the incident was accidental or involved other factors.
The August 6th disaster claimed the lives of Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, among other senior officials and crew members.
“Investigation outcome will prove cause of helicopter crash: an accident or otherwise. Verification, confirmation, & affirmation are critically key to us all,” Kumadoe stated in a Facebook post. His appeal comes as the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) confirmed the aircraft vanished from radar while en route from Accra to Obuasi for a national event. Rescue teams later located the wreckage in Adansi Akrofuom District.
Chief of Staff Julius Debrah formally identified the deceased at a press conference, listing former Ashanti Regional Minister Samuel Sarpong, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Muniru Mohammed, and ex-MP Samuel Aboagye among the victims. The crew—Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manaen Twum Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah—were also killed. Eyewitnesses described the helicopter as “burned beyond recognition” to local media.
GAF authorities stated all efforts to establish contact with the aircraft failed before its discovery. The crash has triggered three days of national mourning and international condolences, including from Indonesia.
