The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is set to hold a comprehensive press conference to provide details on the investigation into the tragic August 6 helicopter crash.
This was disclosed by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General William Agyapong, during a meeting with executives from the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on Wednesday, August 13, 2025.
Lieutenant General Agyapong explained that a single, detailed press conference would be more effective than daily press releases, which he said wouldn’t be practical given the slow pace of investigative updates.
“We have plans to come out with an elaborate press conference where we will outline the sequence of events and where we have gotten to in terms of the investigations,” he stated.
GAF Explains Use of Cocoa Sacks to Recover Remains
The CDS also addressed public concerns regarding the use of cocoa sacks to transport the remains of the eight crash victims.
He clarified that while the rescue team had body bags on-site, the intense heat from the charred remains made them unusable. Faced with a difficult situation as night approached and with the bodies in a thick forest, the team made the decision to use the “available and appropriate material” at hand—cocoa sacks—to move the remains to higher ground.
“We had the option of leaving the remains there until the following day, but we knew what would have happened to the bodies,” Lt. Gen. Agyapong said, emphasizing that the team did their best with the resources available to them.
Remembering the Victims
The helicopter crash, which occurred at Adansi Akrofuom in the Ashanti Region, claimed the lives of eight distinguished officials:
- Defence Minister, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah
- Minister for Environment, Murtala Mohammed
- Former Ashanti Regional Minister, Samuel Sarpong
- Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator, Muniru Mohammed
- Former Member of Parliament, Samuel Aboagye
- Squadron Leader, Peter Bafemi Anala
- Flying Officer, Mane-Twum Ampadu
- Sergeant, Ernest Addo Mensah
Ghana observed a three-day period of national mourning, with a state funeral scheduled for August 15, 2025.
