Ghana to Hold State Funeral for Eight Fallen Heroes on August 15 – President Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has outlined a comprehensive week-long national mourning programme to honor eight individuals who lost their lives in a military helicopter crash on Wednesday, August 6, in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region. The programme includes an Evening of Reflections and Memorial on Saturday, August 9, at 5:00 p.m. at the forecourt of the State House, followed by an inter-denominational state funeral on Friday, August 15, at the Black Star Square.
To allow the public to express their condolences, books of condolence will be available from Sunday, August 10, to Thursday, August 14, at several prominent institutions. These include the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ghana Armed Forces Headquarters, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) headquarters, and the head office of NADMO.
A three-day national mourning period, beginning Thursday, August 7, was declared by President Mahama to honor the memory of the fallen, whom he described as “national heroes who died in the line of duty.” The victims included five state officials: Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Minister for Defence; Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation; Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator; Samuel Aboagye, a former parliamentary candidate; and Samuel Sarpong, NDC Vice Chairman. The three military crew members killed were Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manaen Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
The crash occurred when a Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 helicopter, carrying the officials to Obuasi for an assignment, lost radar contact. All eight bodies have been recovered, and samples of the remains have been sent to South Africa for DNA testing to confirm identities. Ongoing investigations aim to determine the cause of the crash.
