BBC News in Akra
BBC News
BBC News

Ghana President John Mahama has promised a complete investigation into Wednesday’s helicopter crash in which two government ministers and six others died.
Defense Minister Edward Omen Boma and Minister of Environment, Science and Technology Ibrahim Murtala Muhammad, 50, were one of the killed when a military aircraft crashed into the mid -unrest area.
In a television address to the nation, Mahama said that the accident represented a “personal loss” for him.
“I shared a bond with many of the people that died. Our nation is mourning,” he said.
The Z9 helicopter, three crews and five passengers were carrying, came down into a dense forest, as it was flying to an incident to deal with illegal mining from the capital, Akra, Obusy city. No one was left.
The bodies of eight deceased have been recovered from the accident site, and samples have been sent to South Africa for forensic identity and analysis.
Ghana Deputy National Security Coordinator and former Agriculture Minister Alhaji Muniru Mohammad was also among the dead, along with Samuel Sarpong, vice president of the Dansiveing National Democratic Congress Party.
The AFP said that a state funeral will be performed for the victims on August 15.
What caused the accident?
Officials have not confirmed the cause of the accident, but Mahama confirmed that flight data and cockpit voice recorders were recovered and Ghana’s armed forces “a complete and transparent investigation”.
Ghana’s Meteorological Agency had estimated unusually cold weather for August, recently rains and light rain had caused a foggy situation in many forest areas. Local farmers reported the morning fog near the accident site as the helicopter took overhead flight.
An eyewitness told the BBC that the helicopter was flying on “unusually low height” and the weather was bad.
He said that he heard the sound of passing through the helicopter, followed by a “loud voice” and then a “blast”.
“When I realized that there was an explosion in the helicopter. So I hurried to see if I could find the remaining people,” he said.
The farmer said that when he reached the spot, “no one was to be saved”.
It is the deadliest in three separate emergency events involving Ghana Air Force helicopters in recent years.
In 2020, the Ghana Air Force Harbin Z -9 helicopter made an emergency landing near Tamle Airport, and last year, another helicopter of the Ghana Air Force made an emergency landing in Bonsukrome in the western region of Ghana.
Three days of national mourning
Many Ghana people are surprised by the news and are still struggling to come with the news. The images are allegedly roaming on social media, showing the sacred remains of the helicopter.
President Mahama has suspended all its scheduled activities for the rest of the week and announced a three -day mourning starting on Thursday.
The flags of the country are flying at half the mast.
The crew members were nominated as squadron leader Peter Babemi Enla, Flying Officer Manin Twam-Cum, and Sergeant Ernest Ado Mensa.
Who was Edward Omen Boma?
Boma served as the Minister of Communications under the previous government of Mahame and before that he was the Minister of Environment. As a defense minster, he faced jihadi activity which was running in the northern border in Burkina Faso.
In 2022, French -based NGO, Promdiation said its research has shown that jihadi groups recruited 200 and 300 young people.
Violence in the region is also increasing, with concerns that jihadists can try to take advantage of communal-fighting between rival communities in northern Ghana.
In an African democracy about former President John Atta Mills, Boma’s book was a peaceful person, later in the year.
Who was Ibrahim Murtala Muhammad?
Muhammad was at the forefront of the fight against illegal gold mining, which has ruined the environment and contaminated rivers and lakes.
Protests against the practice, locally known as Galamsey, were at the peak during Mahama’s run for the presidency last year.
