President John Dramani Mahama has confirmed that forensic reports on all eight victims of the August 6 military helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region have been received.
Speaking at the burial of two of the victims — Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation and MP for Tamale Central, and Alhaji Limuna Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator — the President said their reports had been received electronically, paving the way for their interment.
The DNA samples of the victims were sent to South Africa for analysis because the bodies were badly charred.
“Happily, that process was ended yesterday [August 9]. We received electronically the forensic results for our brothers [Murtala and Alhaji Muniru]. And that is why we have come to bury ahead. As I speak, the forensic reports for the rest have also arrived. In consultation with the families, we will decide how their funerals will be held. But as we said, on August 15, we will hold a state funeral for all of them,” the President disclosed on Sunday, August 10.
In accordance with Islamic tradition, Janazah prayers for the two were performed at the Forecourt of the State House in Accra, led by the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu. They were later buried at the Military Cemetery near Burma Camp.
The crash claimed the lives of eight people, including Defence Minister, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, former parliamentary candidate Samuel Aboagye, and National Democratic Congress (NDC) Vice Chairman, Samuel Sarpong.
The crew members who perished were Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
The government declared a three-day national mourning period, which included a flower-laying ceremony on August 7 and a memorial service on August 9.
A state funeral for the victims will be held on Friday, August 15, 2025, at the Black Star Square in Accra.
The military aircraft, Z-9 helicopter departed Accra at 09:12 local time (GMT) and was headed for Obuasi for an anti-illegal mining event. The Ghana Armed Forces reported that the Z-9 helicopter, carrying three crew members and five passengers, had gone “off the radar.”
Its disappearance triggered an immediate search-and-rescue operation, which later confirmed that all eight people aboard had died.
The eight victims were:
Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Minister for Defence
Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, and MP for Tamale Central
Alhaji Limuna Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator
Dr. Samuel Sarpong, National Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
Samuel Aboagye, former parliamentary candidate
Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala
Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu
Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah
….
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