ACCRA: Ghana’s Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and seven others were killed on Wednesday (Aug 6) when a military helicopter crashed, the government said, calling it a national tragedy.
The Z9 airforce helicopter was carrying top officials, including Boamah and Environment, Science and Technology Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, when radar contact was lost earlier in the day.
“The president and government extend our condolences and sympathies to the families of our comrades and the servicemen who died in service to the country,” said Julius Debrah, chief of staff to President John Mahama.
Authorities have not yet given a reason for the crash, which also killed three airforce crew members and two other officials.
SECURITY CHALLENGES
Boamah, a former communications minister, was appointed defence minister in January after Mahama returned to power. His successor will now inherit a complex security portfolio that includes both internal and external threats.
Ghana, like other coastal West African nations, faces increasing risks from Islamist militants operating in the Sahel. Armed groups active in Mali and Burkina Faso have attempted to push south, staging deadly attacks in border regions.
In addition to external threats, Ghana is grappling with domestic unrest. Last month, a spokesperson for Mahama said more troops had been deployed to the country’s northeast to contain a long-running chieftaincy conflict that has recently flared, including attacks on schools.
