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Rabat — Two senior Ghanaian ministers died Wednesday when their military helicopter crashed in the country’s south, the presidency announced.
Defense Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were among the victims of the deadly crash, according to Julius Debrah, chief of staff to President John Mahama.
The military helicopter disappeared from radar screens shortly after taking off from Accra around 9:00 AM local time, heading northwest toward Obuasi.
The Ghana Air Force had reported the aircraft missing earlier Wednesday, saying it carried three crew members and five passengers.
“The president and government express their condolences and solidarity to the families of our fallen comrades and military personnel who died serving the nation,” Debrah said in a statement.
The crash also killed Alhaji Muniru Muhammad, deputy national security coordinator and former agriculture minister, and Samuel Sarpong, vice president of President Mahama’s National Democratic Congress (NDC) party.
President Mahama suspended all official activities for the day following the tragedy, with the presidency ordering flags to fly at half-mast in honor of the victims.
The helicopter went down in southern Ghana, though officials have not released specific details about the crash location or cause. Military authorities continue to investigate the incident.
The deaths represent a significant blow to Ghana’s government, losing two cabinet ministers and other senior officials in a single tragedy.
Both ministers played key roles in Mahama’s administration, with Boamah overseeing national defense and Muhammed handling environmental policy.
Ghana’s military has not yet announced plans for recovering the aircraft or conducting a full investigation into what caused the helicopter to crash.
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