Ghana's President announces an investigation into the plane crash that left eight dead

Nairobi.- The President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, expressed his condolences to the families of the eight people, including two ministers, who died last Tuesday in a plane crash and announced the opening of an investigation to clarify the causes of the accident, the Presidency reported this Friday in a statement. "The Army has launched a complete and transparent investigation into the circumstances of this accident," Mahama said in a message to the nation on Thursday night, in which he indicated that DNA samples have been taken in order to identify the bodies before their burial. The president announced that this Saturday, August 9, a Night of Reflection and Homage will be held on the esplanade of the State House, an event that will conclude the three days of national mourning. On August 15th, an interdenominational state funeral will take place at Black Star Square in Accra, the capital of Ghana, to pay tribute to the eight victims of the plane crash. Mahama called for unity at this moment of mourning and rejected the use of the tragedy for political purposes. "This is not a time for division, speculation, or the pursuit of political points. It is a testament to the strength, empathy, and enduring Ghanaian spirit that stands firm when all else fails," the Head of State emphasized. The Government will open condolence books from August 10 to 14 at the Ministries of Defense, Environment, Science and Technology, and Foreign Affairs; at the General Headquarters of the Ghana Armed Forces; at the headquarters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC); and at the central office of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO).

"In this moment of national pain, let us remember that we are, above all, Ghanaians. Let us put aside our differences and offer our collective compassion to the grieving families," added Mahama.

The plane crash took place in the Ghanaian region of Ashanti, in the center of the country, where the helicopter, a Chinese military model Z-9, crashed for reasons still unknown. The Ghana Armed Forces had confirmed that they were conducting search and assessment work on the wreckage, after losing contact with the aircraft after taking off from Accra at 09:12 GMT.

Victims

Among the victims are the Minister of Defense, Edward Omane Boamah, and the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. Other high-ranking officials also died, such as the acting national deputy coordinator of Security, Muniru Mohammed; former parliamentarian Samuel Aboagye, and the vice president of the ruling NDC, Samuel Sarpong.

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The event has generated shock in various African countries, and the presidents of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah; Gabon, Brice Oligui Nguema; Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, and Gambia, Adama Barrow, conveyed their condolences to Mahama and the Ghanaian people via the social network X. The President of the African Union (AU) Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, also expressed his condolences to the Government of Ghana, as well as his solidarity with the Armed Forces and the NDC.