The Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, is leading a team of government officials to officially inform the families of Minister of Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, and Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Dr Murtala Mohammed, of their demise.

This was made known by the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, who was speaking to the media on the disastrous helicopter crash, which led to the deaths of the ministers and six others.

Haruna Iddrisu also disclosed that the incident has left President John Dramani Mahama devastated.

He indicated that the Vice President has constituted teams to visit and inform the families of the six other deceased persons.

“A tragic departure of our colleagues in the service of our country. They were on their way to Obuasi to launch a cooperative mining initiative there. The President is down, down, down emotionally. We pray that God will give him the fortitude, and the Ghanaian people, to accept this tragic loss.

“Her Excellency the Vice President, Prof Jane Naana, is now leading a government delegation to formally, but albeit with difficulty, go and convey the sad passing of our colleagues Dr Omane Boamah, Dr Murtala Mohammed, Alhaji Muniru, and Comrade Sarpong,” he said.

He added, “The Vice President has constituted a team — one led by Julius Debrah and the National Chairman — to Koforidua, supported by the Army Commander. The other teams will visit the two other families, and a delegation will visit Takoradi tomorrow. Do accept our sympathies and condolences — a difficult moment for all of us.”

The Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, confirmed the deaths of the eight persons at a short briefing at the Jubilee House.

He confirmed the victims who lost their lives in the helicopter crash that occurred at Adansi Akrofuom in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region.

The others include Limuna Muniru, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator; Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC); and Samuel Aboagye, NADMO Deputy Director-General.



BAI/MA