By Muhammad Mamman
Ghana is reeling from a devastating military helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah, Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, and six others, including top political figures and air force crew. President John Mahama announced a full-scale probe into the disaster on Thursday, vowing transparency in uncovering the cause of the tragedy.
The chopper, which vanished from radar shortly after taking off from Accra en route to Obuasi in southern Ghana on Wednesday, has left the nation in shock. “The Ghana Armed Forces has launched a thorough investigation,” Mahama declared in a televised address, confirming that flight data and cockpit voice recorders have been recovered. A special board of enquiry is now tasked with piecing together the events leading to the crash.
All eight bodies have been recovered, and a state funeral is set for 15 August to honour the victims. “We’ve lost some of our nation’s brightest stars in a heart-wrenching moment,” Mahama said, his voice heavy with grief.
In a mark of respect, the president has cancelled all scheduled events for the week and declared three days of national mourning, with flags to fly at half-mast from Thursday. Ghana stands united in sorrow, seeking answers and solace in the wake of this catastrophic loss.
