The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called on the government to render a full account of Ghana’s fight against illegal mining, as the nation marked the first anniversary of the military helicopter crash that claimed eight lives.
In a statement dated August 5, 2026 and signed by General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong, the NPP said one year ago, on 6 August 2025, Ghana suffered one of the most painful losses in her recent history when a military helicopter travelling to Obuasi went down in the Adansi area of the Ashanti Region, killing all eight people on board.
Those who died were then Minister for Defence Dr Edward Omane Boamah, then Minister for Environment, Science and Technology Alhaji Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, then Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, then Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Dr Samuel Sarpong, then Deputy Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) Samuel Aboagye and three officers of the Ghana Armed Forces.
The party said it joins the government, the Ghana Armed Forces, the bereaved families, and all Ghanaians in mourning, stressing that grief “has no party colours” since the tragedy claimed senior figures of the governing party.
The NPP commended Ghanaians taking part in the week’s commemorative activities, including the memorial lecture, national memorial service, unveiling of a cenotaph, and a nationwide blood donation exercise, and encouraged participation in the blood drive.
However, the party said commemoration alone was not enough, insisting that the truest tribute to the departed lies in results in the cause for which they gave their lives — the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
The NPP said the eight died while on a national mission to Obuasi in service of that fight, and are owed a full account one year on.
The party posed pointed questions to government: what is the state of the country’s rivers and water bodies today compared to a year ago, and how many forest reserves remain under assault against how many have been reclaimed?
The statement also called for a full update on the official investigation into the crash, including its findings, safety recommendations made, and measures taken to protect personnel serving the Republic.
The NPP described remembrance as “not a ceremony but a duty,” and pledged to keep pressing the questions of accountability for the galamsey fight before Parliament and the nation until answers are given.
The party ended with a prayer that the souls of the victims rest in peace and that their families find comfort in their sacrifice to the nation.