Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe Ghansah, the Deputy Majority Chief Whip, has alleged that available evidence implies the GAF Z-9 helicopter was exploded mid-air.
According to the deputy Majority Whip, the retrieval of the black box will let Ghanaians know what really caused the aircraft to blast before coming down.
Speaking on OKAY FM, Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe Ghansah stated, “The aircraft exploded; it did not crash. Let me tell you something: with all the crashes that have happened in the past, we see that the aircraft lands at a specific location. You would usually find it at a given location where the victims can all be found”.
But in this instance, the parts of the helicopter were scattered, and the victims were found at separate locations. In an aircraft where one is in a seatbelt, how did the victims end up scattered? We are told some of them were found in a deep valley. So, the aircraft blasted before reaching the ground,” she added.
The Deputy Majority Whip added, “We thank God that the black box has been found. Whatever the details are, the government should make them available because we are all interested parties. We want to know what happened that caused the aircraft to blast before coming down”.
On August 6, 2025, the GAF Z-9 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, when it crashed on a forest mountainside in the Adansi Akrofuom.
Ghana’s Minister of Defence Edward Omane Boamah, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator, and Samuel Aboagye, a former Parliamentary Candidate, and Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of NDC.
The crew members are Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensa, have all been confirmed dead.
The eight were on their way to Obuasi to attend an event aimed at fighting illegal mining.
In a brief statement, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) stated that a helicopter, identified as a Z-9, had reportedly gone off the radar after taking off on the morning of Wednesday, August 6, 2025. The aircraft was headed to Obuasi when contact was lost.
Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the Ghana Armed Forces has initiated a full-scale investigation into the tragic helicopter crash.
According to John Mahama, an investigative Board of Inquiry has been set up to lead the full-scale investigations.
Addressing the nation on August 7, 2025, John Mahama stated, “As we mourn, questions about the cause of this tragedy are natural and important. I want to assure the families and the nation that the Ghana Armed Forces has initiated a full and transparent investigation into the circumstances of this crash.
An Investigative Board of Inquiry has been set up to determine the cause of the crash. The flight data and cockpit voice recorders have been retrieved. All eight bodies of our departed comrades have been recovered, and the government is in close touch with the bereaved families regarding the identification of the bodies and their final interment.”
In addition, Bright Simons the IMANI Africa’s Honorary Vice President, has questioned whether the Ghana Armed Forces are trained to operate in the forest following the August 6 tragic military helicopter crash.
According to Brigt Simons, how do Ghanaians expect the military to respond if they are not trained to operate in difficult forest terrain?
He noted that there are global standards that exist for such operations, and Ghana must follow them.
Brigt Simons boldly emphasised that the Authorities, citing the challenging forest terrain as their delay in responding following the tragic incident, is not acceptable.