A heart-wrenching atmosphere gripped the Jubilee House, the seat of government, yesterday, as President John Dramani Mahama and his Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, became teary during a solemn flower-laying ceremony held to honour the eight Ghanaians who perished in the Wednesday military helicopter crash.
The ceremony, which took place at the Ceremonial Garden of the Jubilee House, marked the beginning of a three-day national mourning period declared by the government in remembrance of the tragic loss.
The fallen included top government officials, senior party members, and personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces, whose deaths have plunged the entire nation into grief.
Leading the solemn proceedings, President Mahama laid the first flower, followed by Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang; Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah; and National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia. The Chief of Defence Staff also laid a wreath on behalf of the Ghana Armed Forces.
In attendance were grieving family members, senior government officials, security chiefs, party supporters, and members of the public, all united by sorrow and national solidarity.
Among the deceased were Defence Minister, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah; Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Alhaji Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, NDC Vice Chairman, Dr. Samuel Sarpong, Deputy National Security Coordinator, Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, and former NDC parliamentary candidate for Obuasi East, Samuel Aboagye.
Also honoured were Squadron Leader Peter Baafemi Anala, Flying Officer Twum Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah – all serving officers of the Ghana Armed Forces who died in the line of duty.
Three-Day Mourning Activities
The government officially declared the mourning period from Thursday, August 7, 2025 to Saturday, August 9, 2025.
A statement signed by the Minister for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, said the period is meant to provide the nation with “an opportunity for national reflection and remembrance.”
Activities commenced Thursday afternoon with the public laying of flowers and lighting of candles at the Ceremonial Garden. The space will remain open to the public until Friday, August 8, 2025 to allow more Ghanaians to pay their last respects.
The statement said mourning would culminate in an “Evening of Reflections and Memorials” at the Forecourt of the State House on Saturday, August 9, 2025, beginning at 5:00 p.m.
It added that the event would serve as a national platform to celebrate the lives and contributions of the departed.
Caretaker Ministers
Meanwhile, President Mahama has announced interim ministerial appointments to fill the sudden leadership void. Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has been tasked with additional duties as acting Minister for Defence, while Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, will serve as acting Minister for Environment, Science and Technology.
“These temporary appointments are to ensure there is no vacuum in critical areas of national security and environmental policy,” said Felix Kwakye Ofosu.
“The President has full confidence in the capacity and experience of both ministers to steer their respective additional portfolios during this difficult time,” the statement indicated.
DNA Analysis
While investigations into the cause of the helicopter crash are ongoing, samples taken from the bodies (bones) of the eight victims have been flown to South Africa for advanced DNA analysis.
The move is aimed at facilitating accurate identification of the severely burnt remains recovered from the wreckage of the helicopter, which crashed on Wednesday, August 6, in the Adansi Akrofuom District.
Although the 37 Military Hospital in Accra was initially billed to carry out the autopsy and identification procedures, the condition of the bodies necessitated more advanced forensic processes, prompting the decision to transfer the bones abroad.
The samples were flown out yesterday in a special flight accompanied by a government delegation, including top security and forensic officials.
Before the jet departed, a solemn prayer was held at the Kotoka International Airport with the Interior Minister, the Inspector General of Police, the CID boss, and other members of the delegation in attendance.
The Head of Forensic Analysis at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service is leading the team to South Africa, where the tests will be conducted in collaboration with an accredited forensic laboratory.
Speaking to the media at the airport, the Minister of Interior, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, thanked the affected families for their patience and cooperation.
“We want to thank the families sincerely for all the cooperation they have shown. It’s beyond burying; it’s about trying to establish what happened so that we can prevent it in the future,” he stated.
By Ernest Kofi Adu