The fatal helicopter crash that tragically claimed eight lives, including five high-ranking government officials and three members of the Ghana Armed Forces, has triggered renewed calls from several notable Ghanaians for government to end illegal mining activities completely.
Eight victims who were en route to attend the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) in Obuasi, perished in the tragedy which occurred on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.
On board the helicopter were Minister of Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah; Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed; Former Ashanti Regional Minister, Samuel Sarpong, who was also Vice Chairman of the NDC; and Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Deputy National Security Coordinator.
Also on board were three crew members: Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
Following the incident, many have called on the government to take drastic action against illegal mining activities to honour the victims; asserting that their death occurred while in the line of duty and in service to the nation and hence must not be in vain.
Here are some of the top personalities who have appealed to the government;
Kwame Jantuah
A legal practitioner and senior member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Kwame Jantuah says the tragedy should be a turning point in Ghana’s battle against galamsey. He, thus, called for its total eradication.
The former Kumbungu MP believes ending illegal mining would be the most befitting tribute to the victims of the helicopter crash. He has set a symbolic deadline, urging the government to achieve it before the one-year anniversary of the deadly crash.
Tony Aidoo
The former Ghanaian Ambassador to the Netherlands has called on Mahama to ensure that the sacrifice of the patriots who perished en route to Obuasi for a conference on illegal mining, should ignite a renewed call and determination to end galamsey.
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Nii Odaifio Welentse III
Speaking on behalf of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs as its President, Nii Odaifio Welentse III, stated that the menace must be eradicated completely to honour the efforts of the victims.
“If we cannot deal with this holistically, once and for all, then these gallant soldiers died for nothing. We should all rise and deal with galamsey,” he stated.
Dr Kingsley Agyemang
The Member of Parliament for Akim Abuakwa South, in his appeal, called on the government to respond to the fight against illegal mining with the same urgency it would apply in addressing a war.
“If these gallant men were on their way to confront the scourge of illegal mining, then the fight against galamsey must now assume the same urgency with which we respond to war.”
“We owe them more than tributes; we owe them commitment and action,” he is quoted as saying by myjoyonline.com.
Nii Moi Thompson
Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr Nii Moi Thompson, stressed that the best way to honour the deceased is through decisive action against galamsey.
“They were flying there as part of efforts to fight galamsey. The most befitting tribute to their memory is to decisively eliminate the menace. We cannot shed crocodile tears, we must work hard to ensure they did not die in vain,” he said.
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Sam Korankye Ankrah
The head of the Apostolic Fathers of Ghana, paying a courtesy visit to President John Dramani Mahama, called on all stakeholders and all nationals to continue the fight against Galamsey, in honour of these fallen heroes, adding that, “if we don’t do that, we have done a disservice to their memory.”
“For the bereaved family, they have sown a seed of faith and God is the reward. God will give them more than what they have sown to him, because he’s able to give and to do exceedingly above what we think and what we ask, according to the power that works in us,” he said as quoted by GNA.
The Managing Editor of Insight newspaper while speaking on Metro TV on August 13, 2025, stated that the tragedy must see authorities take decisive steps to defeat illegal mining.
MAG/VPO
Meanwhile, watch the trailer to GhanaWeb’s yet-to-air documentary on teenage girls and how fish is stealing their futures below:
