The Minority in Parliament is demanding the immediate release of preliminary findings into the August 6, 2025 military helicopter crash that claimed t
The Minority in Parliament is demanding the immediate release of preliminary findings into the August 6, 2025 military helicopter crash that claimed the lives of eight people, including two cabinet ministers, accusing the government of withholding crucial information from the public nearly three months after the tragedy.
The call was reignited by former Defence Minister and Member of Parliament for Bimbilla, Dominic Nitiwul, who criticized the government’s silence on the progress of the investigation.
He insists that even if the final probe will take time, an interim report should have been made public to calm the anxiety of Ghanaians and assure them that the matter is being handled with transparency.
“It is going to take a while before we come to a conclusive thing, but I think that the initial findings could have been made public to the people of Ghana,” Nitiwul said in an interview with journalists.
He warned that the continued delay in releasing the initial report has created space for public speculation and mistrust about the circumstances leading to the crash that killed high-ranking government officials.
Fatal Crash
The August 6 tragedy occurred in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region when a Harbin Z-9EH military helicopter belonging to the Ghana Air Force went down under severe weather conditions.
Among the eight people on board were Dr Edward Omane Boamah, Minister for Defence, and Murtala Muhammed, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation.
The others included military personnel and government aides who were reportedly on an official assignment in the region.
The incident shocked the nation and led President John Dramani Mahama to order a full-scale investigation to determine the cause of the crash.
A multi-agency team, including officials from the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Ghana Armed Forces, and international aviation experts, as well as the FBI was tasked with probing the accident.
However, nearly three months later, no preliminary findings have been released to the public, leaving families of the victims, opposition lawmakers, and civil society groups frustrated.
Mounting Pressure
Nitiwul’s call adds to growing pressure on the Mahama administration to demonstrate accountability in managing the aftermath of the crash.
His comments followed similar concerns raised by Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, who has described the President’s failure to appoint a new Defence Minister as “reckless and dangerous.”
Since the death of Dr Omane Boamah, the Ministry of Defence has been without a substantive head, with Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson temporarily overseeing its affairs.
The prolonged vacancy, according to Ntim Fordjour, poses a threat to the national security.
“Nearly three months without a substantive Defence Minister is a dangerous gamble and a reckless potential compromise of our territorial integrity,” Fordjour said.
“No serious country will run for three months without a substantive Defence Minister.”
He further urged President Mahama to immediately appoint a replacement to ensure that the Ghana Armed Forces continue to function effectively amid growing security concerns across the country — particularly in Bawku, Gbenyiri, and parts of the Bono Region, where unrest has been reported.
Public Anxiety
Public curiosity has intensified since the crash, with various unconfirmed theories circulating about its cause — including potential mechanical failure, adverse weather, or pilot error.
They say releasing a brief interim report could help address misinformation and restore confidence in the investigative process.
Nitiwul, who served as Defence Minister from 2017 to 2025, emphasized that transparency in such incidents is critical to national stability and public trust
“For the extensive findings, it will take a while before we get to where we have to, but the initial findings — because people were very apprehensive — I think if they bring them out, it will calm nerves,” he added.
So far, government officials have not provided a definite timeline for releasing the initial report, despite repeated assurances that the investigation is ongoing.
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