Ghana is reeling after an Air Force helicopter crash at Adansi Akrofuom claimed the lives of eight citizens on Tuesday, 6 August 2025. President John Dramani Mahama, addressing the nation on Thursday night, called them “cherished citizens” and pledged that their memory would be honoured with dignity, truth, and unity.
A Board of Inquiry has been established to carry out a full and transparent investigation into the cause of the tragedy. The President assured bereaved families that DNA tests are being conducted to confirm identities, with the government closely involved in preparations for final interment.
The national farewell will begin this Saturday with an Evening of Reflections and Memorial at the forecourt of the State House, culminating in an inter-denominational state funeral at Black Star Square on 15 August. “This is not a time for division, speculation, or political point-scoring,” Mahama urged. “Let our words be of comfort, our actions be of kindness, and our unity be the tribute we offer to those whose lives have been lost.”
Books of condolence will be open from 10 to 14 August at key ministries, the Ghana Armed Forces Headquarters, the National Democratic Congress headquarters, and the National Disaster Management Organisation.
In this moment of shared loss, the President reminded the nation that “we are, above all, Ghanaians”, bound together by grief, compassion, and the enduring spirit that rises in the face of tragedy.
In a related development, African Union Commission Chairperson H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has joined Ghana in mourning the helicopter crash in the Ashanti Region that claimed eight lives, among them Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.
In a message to President John Dramani Mahama, he offered heartfelt condolences to the government, the people, and the bereaved families, pledging the African Union’s full solidarity with the nation, the Ghana Armed Forces, and the ruling NDC. “May the souls of the departed rest in eternal peace,” he said, calling the tragedy a loss for all of Africa.
Story: Lawal Mohammed
