The Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, has expressed sorrow following the tragic military helicopter crash in Ghana’s Ashanti Region that claimed the lives of eight individuals, including two high-profile cabinet ministers.

In a statement issued on Thursday, August 7, 2025, he extended condolences to President John Dramani Mahama, the Government, and the people of Ghana.

"On behalf of the Secretariat, H.E. Wamkele Mene conveys his sincere condolences to H.E. President John Dramani Mahama, the Government and people of Ghana, and to the bereaved families affected by this profound loss," it stated.

He also conveyed the Secretariat’s solidarity with the Ghana Armed Forces during this difficult period, describing the incident as a painful national loss.

“We mourn alongside the people of Ghana and extend our deepest sympathies to the families enduring this painful loss. The candle may go out, but the memory of its light will remain. May those who lost their lives be remembered with honour, and may they rest in peace,” the statement added.

The tragic military helicopter crash occurred on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, near Sikaman in the Adansi Akrofuom area of the Ashanti Region.

The aircraft involved was a Ghana Air Force Z-9 helicopter, which had taken off from the Air Force Base in Accra en route to a Forward Operating Base in the Western Region.

The helicopter lost contact with radar shortly after 9:12 a.m., prompting a search and rescue operation.

Hours later, emergency teams discovered the wreckage deep within a forested area, with all eight persons on board, comprising three crew members and five passengers, confirmed dead.

The impact and subsequent fire left the remains badly charred, making immediate identification difficult.

The Ghana Armed Forces, in coordination with other state agencies, has launched an internal investigation into the cause of the crash.

The deceased include the Minister of Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, and the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed and six others.

Read the full statement below:



JKB/MA

Government holds wreath-laying ceremony for helicopter crash victims