Tragedy struck the nation yesterday, Wednesday August 6, 2025 when two ministers of state – Dr Omane Boamah, Dr Murtala Mohammed and some top military officers died in helicopter crash in the Akrofuo area in the Ashanti Region. According to various accounts, the two prominent ministers and the military men were on their way to Obuasi to perform national duties geared towards the fight against illegal mining in the country.
This is indeed a sad day for Ghana. Dr Omane Boamah – the young medical doctor who had bright political future, including the possibility of leading this country as president and Dr Murtala Mohammed who speaks the English Language like his mother’s tongue – Dagbani – have all perished, whilst serving mother Ghana.
The Chronicle extends its condolences to the bereaved families, President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government as a whole. The Chronicle does not remember the last time such a tragedy struck this nation. If our memories serve us right, in the 1990s, the country experienced a similar tragic accident, when a military aircraft escorting then President Rawlings’s plane to land at the Kotoka International Airport was crashed close to the tarmac.
A few years later, there was another military helicopter crash in the Atiwa Forest, killing all the passengers and crew members on board. But the latest one is the first time two serving ministers have died whilst on their way to perform official government assignment.
But, whilst Ghanaians await official announcement from the Ghana Armed Forces regarding the actual cause of the crash, those who have made it their habits to destroy our natural environment through illegal mining or galamsey should stop momentarily and ponder over their actions.
But for illegal mining activities, which are threatening the very survival of this county, Dr Omane Boamah, Dr Murtala Mohammed and all those who perished yesterday would have been alive.
Dr Omane Boamah who, until his untimely death, was the Defence Minister, was a qualified medical doctor who could have served in the consulting room, but he decided to enter politics to shape the destiny of our mother land.
In the case of Murtala, our information is that he has just obtained his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree after years of hard work. Why should these calibre of people suffer such painful deaths because of the sheer greed of a few people who are only interested in what they would earn today and not future generations?
In our opinion, the former defence Minister and his Environment, Science and Technology counterpart have sacrificed their lives to rescue this country from the galamsey madness that is seeking to destroy Ghana and they would forever be remembered for this great sacrifice.
But for their desire to end the illegal mining in the country, they wouldn’t have boarded the chopper,en-route to Obuasi, to inaugurate alternative livelihood for the teeming youth who are involved in the illegal mining.
Though it is too early, we are nevertheless calling on the John Mahama government to look for prominent national monuments and name these departed ministers after them. This is the only waythe state of Ghana will recognise and appreciate their sacrifices to save mankind. Such recognition will also spur others on to do their best to save and protect the interest of our beloved country.
We pray to the Almighty God that their souls will find ever resting place in his kingdom.
