NPP Marks First Anniversary of August 6 Helicopter Crash, Demands Accountability on Galamsey Fight
Accra, August 5, 2026 –
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called for national reflection and accountability as Ghana marks one year since the August 6, 2025 military helicopter tragedy that claimed the lives of eight Ghanaians in the Adansi area of the Ashanti Region.
In a statement signed by General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, the NPP said the anniversary should be more than ceremonies, and must be used to assess progress in the fight against illegal mining – the national mission the departed were serving when they died.
The eight who perished were Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Minister for Defence; Alhaji Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Minister for Environment, Science and Technology; Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator; Dr. Samuel Sarpong; Mr. Samuel Aboagye; and three gallant crew members of the Ghana Armed Forces.
According to the statement, the nation will commemorate the week with a memorial lecture on August 4, a national memorial service, the unveiling of a cenotaph, and a nationwide blood donation exercise. The NPP described the blood donation as “a fitting and life-giving tribute” and urged all Ghanaians to participate.
“Grief Has No Party Colours,” the statement noted. The NPP said while the loss struck deeply within the governing party, it was ultimately a loss to the entire Republic. “Their families’ grief is Ghana’s grief. Their names belong to our national memory,” it added.
The party emphasized that the manner of their deaths places a duty on the nation to account for results. “They did not die at rest. They died at work, in pursuit of a cause the whole nation has declared urgent,” the statement said. Under the heading “The Account the Nation Deserves,” the NPP called on government to use the week of remembrance to provide evidence-based answers.
The party asked for updates on the state of rivers and water bodies compared to a year ago, the number of forest reserves still under assault versus those reclaimed, and a full report on the official investigation into the crash. It also demanded details on findings, safety recommendations, and measures taken to protect public officials who travel in service to the Republic, “so that no family endures such a loss again.”
“Memory as Duty,” the statement continued, saying remembrance is not just ceremony but responsibility. The NPP pledged to keep the questions about the galamsey fight and accountability before Parliament and the nation until answers are given.
The statement concluded with prayers for the “Departed Eight” to rest in perfect peace, for comfort for their families, and that “Ghana prove worthy of their sacrifice.”
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