It is always important and imperative for thorough investigations to be conducted on a matter of public interest, especially when it is of a magnitude of a disaster, tragedy or calamity leaving in their trails, losses of lives and property.
The recent helicopter crash needed thorough investigations to establish the possible causes for it for the appropriate lessons to be learnt and remedial measures put in place. This process should be activated without any partisan political sentiments.
The investigations could cover organizational analysis of the Ghana Air Force, task analysis of the aircraft (helicopters) and persons analysis of the aircrew (Captain, Co-pilot and technician of the flight) and the other passengers on board the aircraft (namely Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, the former Defence Minister, Dr. Murtala Mohammed Ibrahim, the former Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Alhaji Muniru Mohammed Limuni, the former Deputy National Security Coordinator, Dr. Samuel Sarpong, the former Vice-chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Mr. Samuel Aboagye, the former Deputy Director General of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO)).
The current investigations are being conducted by experts and professionals of the aviation, the military and other relevant stakeholders.
Obviously, the opinions of manufacturers of the aircraft, pilots, engineers, Air Traffic Controllers and other experts may help the Ghana Air Force and the nation to know the possible causes of the unfortunate tragic crash of the helicopter on a “Black Wednesday, 6th August 2025”.
It had been hoped that the nation would wait patiently for investigations to be completed for preliminary reports and final reports to be published before any meaningful decisions on them would take place.
Unfortunately and regrettably, some key members of the NDC Party have issued or publicized some reckless statements that may be or are pre-matured and prejudicial to the painstaking investigations that have to be and are being conducted.
One of the authors of such reckless and irresponsible statements was Ambassador Mrs. Zita Benson, High Commissioner designate to the United Kingdom. She was the first person to politicize the crash. In her myopic, ignorant, and shameful statement, she accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of responsibility for the crash because in her uninformed judgment, the helicopters were bought by an Administration of the New Patriotic Party.
This statement was actuated by malice and fed perfectly into the propaganda machinery of the NDC. The NDC is known for its skills and mastery of propaganda and lies for political gains. Some experts of lies and propaganda could create their own stories and build upon them consistently and persistently to derive the optimal political benefits and advantages over their political opponents, especially the NPP.
Fortunately for the NPP, the lies and propaganda of Ambassador Zita Benson were exposed as evidence to the contrary emerged. It was discovered that these helicopters were bought during the former Administration of the NDC. But did it really matter who bought the aircrafts when such a national tragedy has occurred? Will the purchase of the aircraft be of any probative value in such an investigation?
Perhaps, the aviation expert, par excellence, Mrs. Zita Benson would know. Obviously, that is not her field. It is a known fact that her main expertise is in the culinary profession where her restaurant at North Legon is expanding exponentially into aviation catering by courtesy of the NDC fraternity. It is a known fact that several “big shots” of the NDC eat or used to eat at her restaurant. She should be advised to concentrate on her business of catering/restaurant and not venture recklessly and irresponsibly into aviation matters.
What has happened to her legal knowledge? Which professional lawyer would make such utterances? What has happened to her knowledge in the law of evidence? Mr. Gyeke Darko, the eminent former Director of Public Prosecutions in Ghana, would be turning in his grave for her.
The second author of a reckless, premature and irresponsible statement from the NDC fraternity was Honorable Mrs. Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe, Member of Parliament for Ada and Deputy Whip of the NDC Majority in Parliament.
According to the now “aviation and ballistic expert”, Honorable Cudjoe, the helicopter exploded in the air before crashing into the mountainous forest of Brofoyedru Adansi, near Obuasi. I expect that the investigation team would invite Honorable Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe, to give aerial photographs and the trajectory of the objects that caused the explosion of the aircraft in the air before crashing.
It is not very surprising that “two notorious” female NDC politicians ventured into such a minefield where the abilities, skills, knowledge, competencies and experiences or brains of experts were needed. They belong to a tradition where lies and propaganda are rewarded handsomely. In that fraternity, dogs are to be called cows and bulls, sheep as elephants and guinea fowls as ostriches. Thus, exaggeration, falsehood, lies, propaganda, half-truths are preferred over bitter truth so that political power would be won.
The third NDC key personality who made a premature and unguided statement was the Mayor (Chief Executive Officer) of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly. This gentleman is reported to have stated that the helicopter that crashed on 6th August 2025 attempted three “emergency landings” unsuccessfully before finally crashing in the mountainous forest of Brofoyedru. The Mayor was attributing his statement to a confidential message that was sent by one of the passengers on board the aircraft to a government official who was to arrange to pick the passengers up after a successful landing. His statement came after the Ghana Armed Forces had announced that investigations into the helicopter crash had begun.
So, what was the purpose of his declaration? Was it to establish the cause of the crash in a court of public opinion? Was it to turn him into an aviation expert? Was it to show the distress of the air crew and the other passengers on board the aircraft? Was it to show the bond between him and the government officials on board the helicopter? Did he not know that he could have availed himself to the investigation team of the Ghana Air Force, Ghana Armed Forces or the Presidency with whatever evidence that they had on their phones? Did he not know that he is a public figure and therefore he should be very circumspect in whatever he says, especially on such a sensitive matter? Perhaps, he wanted his name to appear in the “Guinness Book of Fame” for bravery, explanation of sacks being used for conveying the remains of the casualties of the crash and all related matters. But he forgot that he was not an official spokesperson for the Ghana Armed Forces, nor the NDC government of President Mahama.
Was he the mouthpiece of the Ashanti Regional Minister in whose jurisdiction the disaster occured? Did the crash happen in the Kumasi Metropolitan Area? Answers to these questions would, hopefully prick the conscience of the Kumasi Mayor to tarry cautiously next time when a national tragedy, with such extremely painful ramifications, occurs. He should be sensitive to the effects that such pieces of information may have on families and dear ones of the victims of the tragedy or disaster. He should have contacted the Ghana Armed Forces before releasing such an important information.
Contrary to the reckless and irresponsible statements from very prominent NDC officials and members, very soul-touching and dignified statements were read in the memories of the eight gallant Ghanaians who lost their lives tragically in the helicopter air crash of 6th August, 2025.
At the end of the three-day national remembrance and mourning that started on Thursday 7th and ended on Saturday 9th August 2025, a Commemoration Service was organized at the forecourt of the State House and precincts of Parliament in honor of the great patriots. Families and organizations of the departed statesmen read statements in their memories. All the eight perished personalities were accorded the necessary Ghanaian respect for the dead, especially considering the tragic and painful nature of their deaths and appropriately so.
The only aberration on that Saturday 9th August 2025, occurred when Hon. Samuel Nartey George (aka Dzata) MP for Ningo-Prampram and Minister for Communications arrogantly elected to read the memories of Dr. Kofi Edward Omame Boamah as a family member.
All other readers of memories of the eight persons were real family members. Those other readers were able to show the family connection between the deceased persons from infancy through family development to their public lives and occupations. Honorable Samuel Nartey George chose to dwell only on Mrs. Omame Boaamah and the children leaving the most distressed mother of the disaster casualties in limbo.
Concerned persons present at the gathering could not understand why Honorable Samuel Nartey George decided to be the author and reader of the memories of Dr. Omame Boamah on that occasion. While the other family readers were able to attract the sympathies and sorrow of the attendees of the occasion, the action of Honorable Samuel Nartey George drew questions and condemnations of his usurpation of the role of a genuine biological family member on such an occasion.
On Friday 15th August 2025, the day of the burial for six of the casualties (the Christians) and the funeral for all the eight victims, appropriate tributes from the respective organizations, political and professional institutions and families were read by qualified persons or their own appointed representatives. Tears flew over the faces and cheeks of all normal human beings who were present at the ceremony as family members, especially widows and children, read their tributes one after the other.
For purposes of this column, the tributes in respect of Dr Omane Boamah, the former Defence Minister, Wing Commander Peter Baafemi Anala, Flight Lieutenant Manaem Twum Ampadu and Flight Sergeant Addo Mensah Ernest are of particular significance. It was clear that the widows and children had lost irreplaceable persons in their lives. Those widows and orphans could not be persuaded by support, posthumous promotions and Victims Support Fund announced by His Excellency, the President.
The widows and orphans asked questions that only God could offer answers to. It was certain that the widows could not be amused by any earthly vanities but rather would have wished to have their dear ones alive. Indeed how can any awards (national highest orders), financial support and promotions be comparable to having Dr Omane Boamah, Wing Commander Peter Baafemi Anala, Flight Lieutenant Manaem Twum Ampadu and Flight Sergeant Adoo Manseh Ernest around their wives and children at home or on trips of vacations and tourism?
Will they ever be able to overcome the trauma?
Fortunately, God in his own wisdom, mercies and provision of comfort and strength to His children, will take away the sorrows of the bereaved families, widows, and children with the passage of time.
The Chief of Defence Staff paid tributes to the memories of the Defence Minister, Dr Omane Boamah and the three gallant military service personnel. The CDS showed how the Ghana Armed Forces appreciated the transformational leadership style of the former Minister for Defence and the professional acumen of the two pilots and the technician on board the aircraft that crashed on that fateful Wednesday, 6th August 2025.
As a matter of fact, on Monday 21st July 2025, the then Minister for Defence, Dr Omane Bomah, at the meeting with the Press in the Government Accountability Series expressed the readiness of the Ghana Armed Forces in executing some major projects in the country. In fact, Dr Omane Boamah indicated the Ghana Armed Forces were ready to execute government projects. The then Minister for Defence said that the Defence Industries Holding Company (DIHOC) stood in readiness to partner government in the execution of some major projects in the country. According to Dr Omane Boamah, the company represented a new era in Ghana’s development, positioning the Ghana Armed Forces as key drivers of industrial and economic transformation as DIHOC was to operate with an expanded mandate under the Reset Ghana Agenda of the NDC government of John Mahama.
As an illustration, Dr Omane Boamah said that the company was partnering the Ghana Bauxite Company in a 180-kilometre road works on the main Awaso-Takoradi corridor to serve as the primary route for transporting Ghana’s bauxite to the Takoradi Port.
Additionally, Dr Omane Boamah stated that the Ghana Armed forces, through the DIHOC, will form strategic partnerships to ensure the accelerated execution of the six-lane Accra-Kumasi expressway within a 24-hour Economy.
On its fight against illegal mining known as galamsey, Dr Omane Boamah said that the government has demonstrated its political will in the fight against the menace. He continued by saying that even though Ghana was not out of the woods and that there was much more to be done, the Ghana Armed Forces had played a significant role in the steady progress that had been made so far. According to Dr Omane Boamah through the intervention of the military, several forests which had hitherto been invaded by illegal miners had been reclaimed.
Dr Omane Boamah continued by saying that as part of new strategies and reforms, the NDC government’s comprehensive review of its anti-illegal mining strategy had resulted in reforms to make its fight against galamsey more coordinated and sustainable. Dr Omane Boamah gave comfort and assurances to Ghanaians when he said that Ghana was safe, stable and peaceful, ready to be President Mahama’s “Reset Agenda”.
However, he acknowledged the precarious and volatile situations in Bawku and Alavanyo and their immediate surroundings. Yet, he gave the assurances that the Ghana Armed Forces were actively monitoring developments and had put in place very robust mechanisms to ensure that any potential escalation in these locations are swiftly contained in the interest of very peaceful and durable resolutions of those conflicts through dialogue and negotiations
We certainly praise the late Dr.Omane Boamah for those assurances. He gave an indication of his transformational leadership quality. Unfortunately, his dreams have been cut short by his untimely death.
Our understanding is that team work and positive esprit de corps are vital ingredients of military operations and ventures. With these laudable projects of Dr Omane Boamah, it had been hoped that avoidable politicization and ethnocentrism in military affairs would be a thing of the past. Regrettably, however, even under the watch of the late Dr Omane Boamah, the Ghana Armed Forces have been sharply politicized and polarized into NDC officers and men and Non-NDC (especially NPP) officers and men.
Recent promotions have been based purely on partisan basis. Appointments have gone to only politically correct NDC officers and men. Hunting for and persecution of NPP sympathizers have become the order of the day. All Commanding Officers from the Ashanti and Eastern Regions in the Army have been removed from their appointments and in their places Ewes, Northerners and Gas known to be dye-in-wool NDC members have been appointed.
A first class Lieutenant Colonel, SandHurst trained in the Engineer Corps was removed from command after only two months because he is from Ashanti Region. Is that the “Reset Agenda”?
