Pastor Mensa Otabil, the renowned Ghanaian pastor and founder of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), has shared a word of prayer for the families of the eight individuals who died in the military helicopter crash.
Pastor Otabil led thousands of worshippers in a moment of intercession, asking God to comfort the bereaved.
He prayed, asking the Holy Spirit to enter houses that have been shattered by grief and breathe life into families devastated by the loss.
During Day Three of the 2025 Greater Works Conference held in Accra on Wednesday, August 6, Pastor Otabil prayed, saying, “Father, we thank you, for you are the God of all comfort. When our hearts are overwhelmed, and we don’t know where to turn, you are the rock that is higher than us, we raise the family that have lost so much to you, lord, and we pray that your holy spirit, who is the only comforter wealthy of comforting, will comfort them”.
Dr Omane Boamah, Minister for Defence and Minister for Environment, Science, and Technology, and Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, sadly passed away following a helicopter crash.
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.
According to reports, all victims were tragically burnt beyond recognition.
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.
According to initial reports, the high-ranking government officials were aboard a Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 helicopter en route to Obuasi when the aircraft went off radar.
The tragic incident occurred on the morning of Wednesday, August 6, 2025.
The news was confirmed by the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, in an address from the presidency.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, on Wednesday night received the remains of the eight who died in the tragic military hospital.
Their bodies were received at the Air Force Base in Accra.
President John Mahama has also announced a three-day national mourning period.
On Wednesday, August 6, the President, in a statement, announced the immediate suspension of all his scheduled activities and public engagements for the remainder of the week.
Also, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has revealed that it will be working with security agencies to investigate the tragic military helicopter crash.
Desmond Ackah, the GNFS Head of Public Relations, revealed that an investigation is underway to identify the cause of the crash.
Desmond Ackah explained, “For crashes of this nature, it does not just warrant the response of the GNFS alone. A lot of factors are involved.
We do interagency response, and we are heavily involved, especially with rescue, extrication, and any fire hazards”.
In addition, Sabah Zita Benson, Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, has said someone in the Ghana Armed Forces may have fiddled with the helicopter that crashed.
According to Sabah Zita Benson, the military is partisan, and the crash site must be preserved for an investigation to be conducted.
Reacting to the tragic incident, Zita Benson stated, This is really painful. It hurts so bad. The crash site must be preserved for investigation, just in case someone fiddled with the helicopter.
She added, “The military is partisan; an investigation must be conducted”.