Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has visited President John Dramani Mahama to commiserate with him and the government following the tragic helicopter crash.
Vice President, Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang made this known in a post on her X account on Friday, August 8.
Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman wrote, “In a gesture of solidarity and statesmanship, former President John Agyekum Kufuor paid a visit to President John Dramani Mahama and the First Lady, Lordina Mahama, at their residence to express his condolences and support during this difficult time.
I joined them and other government officials to receive him and thank him for his thoughtful gesture”.
In addition, John Agyekum Kufuor, in a recent interview, recounted how he almost died in a plane crash over the Sahara Desert back in 2007 when he was serving as the president of Ghana.
According to Kufuor, that incident happened while he was returning from an official visit to Libya.
He described the event as tense, recalling that he was travelling with about 12 to 16 people from Tripoli to Khartoum, Sudan’s capital.
Speaking on Angel TV, former President Kufuor narrated, “I remember that sometime in 2007, had it not been for God’s intervention, I would have been involved in a plane crash over the Sahara Desert”.
“All of a sudden, over the desert, the plane could not ascend. It had become heavy, and for almost 30 minutes, it refused to gain altitude. When you looked down, all you could see was the desert. Eeeii! What was about to happen to us here?” he reflected.
Kufuor remarked, highlighting the unsettling atmosphere on board, adding that the pilot was virtually silent without telling them anything.
He continued, “The pilot remained silent, not communicating anything to us”.
“The plane managed to manoeuvre and made a turn to align over the Mediterranean Sea, although it was still struggling to fly at a higher altitude for nearly an hour before we finally landed in Tripoli,” Kufuor explained.
The former president added, “As we were landing, we noticed fire tenders and security vehicles speeding across the airport tarmac. That was when the pilot confirmed that the plane couldn’t fly any higher, so he had to return to Tripoli”.
Former president John Agyekum Kufuor’s revelation comes following Ghana’s loss of eight people, including Dr Omane Boamah and Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, two cabinet members who passed away following a helicopter crash at Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region on Wednesday, August 6.
The helicopter was carrying eight individuals, including three crew members and five passengers, among them the ministers, a presidential staffer identified as Samuel Sarpong, and the ministers’ security detail.
Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator, and Samuel Aboagye, a former Parliamentary Candidate, and Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of NDC, have all been confirmed dead.
The crew members are Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
Additionally, President John Mahama has called on Ghanaians to rise above political divisions and unite in this time of national mourning.
According to Mahama, Ghanaians must come together and bid a fitting farewell to the deceased.
Speaking to the nation on August 7, 2025, John Mahama stated, “This is not a time for division, speculation or political point-scoring. It is a time for strength, for empathy and for the enduring Ghanaian spirit that still stands tall when all else fails. Let our words be of comfort, our actions be of kindness, and our unity be the tribute we offer to those whose lives have been lost.
“To the families, to the Ghana Armed Forces, to the Ministries and Departments that have lost dedicated staff and to the National Democratic Congress, which mourns the passing of valued members, may you find strength in their memory and legacy.
“May we all be comforted by the knowledge that, though they are gone from our sight, they remain forever in the spirit of the nation they so faithfully served.”
See the post below:
In a gesture of solidarity and statesmanship, former President John Agyekum Kufuor paid a visit to President John Dramani Mahama and the First Lady, Lordina Mahama, at their residence to express his condolences and support during this difficult time. I joined them and other… pic.twitter.com/mfjXw5det1
— Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang (@NJOAgyemang) August 8, 2025