President John Dramani Mahama and his wife Lordina Mahama
The General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Ghana, Rev Dr Stephen Y Wengam, has revealed how First Lady Lordina Mahama’s insistence “No way, don’t accept” ultimately prevented President John Mahama from boarding the helicopter that crashed on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, killing top government and military officials.
Speaking during a church service, Rev Wengam recounted receiving a call the previous week from the President’s Secretary, Dr Callistus Mahama, informing him that the President would not be able to attend a scheduled event because he had been invited to Côte d’Ivoire as a special guest for their Independence Day celebrations.
“When last week I received a call from the President’s Secretary that His Excellency had asked the Vice President and his wife, Lordina Mahama, to represent him, I said, Thank you, Dr Callistus,” Rev Wengam said.
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“But I wasn’t at peace with it,” he added.
Troubled by the development, Rev Wengam said he immediately reached out to a colleague pastor, Reverend Bawa.
“I told him, I don’t accept it. Go mobilise the prayer team and pray, and reverse it. Rev Bawa is my witness,” he recounted.
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Matters came to a head when Lordina Mahama personally called him.
“The First Lady called me very angry, saying, Pastor, President says he is going to la Côte d’Ivoire, but no, we are coming for this programme. We have planned for this programme long ago. No way. It was a battle on the phone. She said, don’t accept it,” Rev Wengam narrated.
While still speaking with the First Lady, the President himself attempted to reach him.
“I told her, Mama, President is calling. I’m going off. I don’t agree. The President explained, and I said, ‘Your Excellency, I understand. Your will be done.”
Later, Lordina Mahama sent a message confirming that they would attend the programme on Wednesday, allowing the President to travel on Thursday instead.
“That was how it was averted; if he had come today, he would have travelled yesterday.”
The crash of the Z9 helicopter, which belonged to the Ghana Armed Forces, claimed the lives of Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah and Environment, Science and Technology Minister Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed.
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Others are: Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna; former Central Regional Minister, Samuel Sarpong and Samuel Aboagye, a former parliamentary candidate.
Members of the helicopter’s crew are Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Malin Twum-Ampadu and Sgt. Ernest Addo Mensah.
General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Ghana, Rev. Dr. Stephen Y. Wengam, has revealed why President John Dramani Mahama was not on board the helicopter that crashed yesterday, killing two ministers and six others en route to an event in Obuasi.
He disclosed that the… pic.twitter.com/MLuLfU5UPh
— EDHUB🌍ℹ (@eddie_wrt) August 7, 2025
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