President John Dramani Mahama today presided over a National Inter-Faith Memorial Service to mark the first anniversary of the August 6, 2025, military helicopter crash that claimed eight lives.
The ceremony, attended by Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, military officials, religious leaders, and bereaved families, honoured the victims and their sacrifice.
In his address, President Mahama described the tragedy as a moment of national disbelief and grief, noting that the victims, though from diverse backgrounds, were united by their devotion to public service.
He paid tribute to all public servants who work under dangerous conditions and called for stronger safety standards and greater investment in the welfare of serving personnel, stating that the best way to honour the fallen is to protect those who continue to serve.
The President extended condolences to the families, acknowledging that no ceremony could erase their pain, but assured them that the nation would forever remember their loved ones.
The deceased are Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah (then Minister of Defence), Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed (then Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation), Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna (Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator) and Dr. Samuel Sarpong (then National Vice Chairman of the NDC).
The rest are Samuel Aboagye (former parliamentary candidate), Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
A state support package was presented to families, including GH₵1 million trust funds for each child of the deceased, health insurance, and other welfare support.
On August 4, 2026, the Ministry of Defence and Pope John Senior High School Old Boys Association held the inaugural Dr. Edward Omane Boamah Memorial Lecture at Burma Hall.
A memorial cenotaph will be unveiled later today at an invitation-only ceremony.
The commemorations will conclude on August 8, 2026, with a nationwide blood donation exercise, “Service to the Soul,” at hospitals across the country, including the 37 Military Hospital.
