Immortalizing crash victims is a national duty — Edudzi Tameklo

Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, has called on the nation to find a lasting way to honour the memories of those who perished in the August 6 military helicopter crash in the Ashanti Region.

Speaking on TV3’s l New Day programme on Monday, August 11, Mr. Tameklo described the victims as “men who died in the line of duty” and urged the Republic to ensure their sacrifices are never forgotten.

“The Republic should find a way to immortalise their memories. They died in the line of duty. The lesson from this disaster will live with us,” he said.

The tragic accident claimed the lives of Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Minister for Environment Murtala Mohammed, former Ashanti Regional Minister Samuel Sarpong, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Muniru Mohammed, and former MP and NDC Vice Chairman Samuel Aboagye.

Also on board were Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Mane-Twum Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) confirmed in a statement that the Z-9 helicopter, which had departed Accra for Obuasi, went off radar before crashing.

Addressing speculation surrounding the crash, retired Air Force officer Wing Commander Patrick Nelson Sogbodjor dismissed rumours of sabotage, explaining that the aircraft was housed in a secure base with restricted access.

“For anyone to sabotage it, they would need access to the base and the aircraft. That is not easy unless you are a trained technician, and even then, it would be detected during pre-flight checks,” he noted.

He further ruled out the possibility that small arms fire could have brought down the helicopter, stating that only a missile could cause such destruction, and no evidence points to such an attack.

Wing Commander Sogbodjor confirmed that the aircraft’s black box had been retrieved but stressed that it would require specialist decoding by the manufacturer.

He also dismissed suggestions that poor weather was to blame, insisting the Z-9 helicopter was fully capable of flying in challenging conditions, including at night.