Ghana’s Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and seven others were killed Wednesday when a military helicopter crashed in what the government has declared a national tragedy. The victims included four government officials—among them Environment, Science and Technology Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed—and three air force crew members.
President John Mahama’s chief of staff Julius Debrah addressed the nation, stating that radar contact was lost with the Z9 air force helicopter before the crash. “The president and government extend our condolences to the families of our comrades and the servicemen who died in service to the country,” Debrah said. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the accident.
Boamah, a former communications minister who was appointed defence chief in January, leaves behind a critical security portfolio. His successor will inherit growing threats from both regional jihadist groups and internal conflicts. Ghana has recently bolstered military presence in its northeast, where chieftaincy disputes have escalated into attacks on schools and civilians.
The crash comes as Ghana faces increasing security challenges, including spillover violence from Islamist militants in neighboring Burkina Faso and Mali. The nation joins other West African coastal states grappling with the southward spread of Sahel-based extremism, even as it mourns the loss of key leadership in this tragic accident.