By Paschal Norbert
ACCRA, AUGUST 12, 2025 (CISA) – A delegation from The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) on August 12, visited the families and widows of the eight Ghanaians who perished in last week’s tragic military helicopter crash at Asikaman near Akrofuom. GCBC said the gesture was meant to offer solidarity, compassion, and prayerful support during a period of national mourning.
The crash, which claimed the lives of two government ministers, senior military officers, and other distinguished public servants, has been described by the bishops as a “grave loss to the nation.”
Among the dead are Defence Minister Dr Edward Omane Boamah; Environment, Science and Technology Minister Alhaji Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed; former Minister and technocrat Alhaji Muniru Mohammed; former Ashanti Regional Minister Dr Samuel Sarpong; public servant Mr. Samuel Aboagye; Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala; Flying Officer Twum Ampadu; and Sergeant Ernest Addo.
In a statement issued during their August Plenary Assembly at the National Catholic Secretariat in Accra, the bishops said the news “cast a long shadow over our deliberations” and moved the assembly to “communal prayer and reflection.”
The prelates hailed the deceased as “men of proven dedication, public servants, politicians, technocrats and gallant officers of the Ghana Armed Forces, who gave of themselves in service to the Republic, to its institutions, and to the people of this land.”
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to their grieving families, to the various institutions and communities they so faithfully served, and to all citizens of Ghana who mourn this national tragedy,” the statement read, adding that the Church prays “the Eternal Father… may grant them peace, and console all who bear the weight of their absence.”
President John Mahama, in a televised address, described the incident as “a personal loss” and confirmed that the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, commonly known as “black boxes” had been retrieved. He assured the public that the Ghana Armed Forces had “initiated a full and transparent investigation” into the crash, which occurred in the Ashanti Region while the officials were on official duty.
The Bishops’ visit on Tuesday included prayers with the bereaved families and offering of pastoral counsel. The prelates said they hoped their presence will be “a source of unity, strength, and hope” for a nation grappling with sudden and profound loss.
