Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has paid a moving tribute to the eight victims of the August 6, 2025, military helicopter crash, praising their dedication to national service and the values they embodied.
Speaking at the state burial ceremony for six of the deceased, she described them as individuals whose lives reflected selflessness, sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to Ghana’s progress.
“I thank each of you for your examples of selflessness, sacrifice, commitment to duty and your abiding belief in the ability of our country to be better for all of us.
“I pray that we will all be able to gather the strength to say and believe with the hymnist: Through the love of God our Saviour, All is well”
Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang
The helicopter crash claimed the lives of prominent government officials and military personnel, prompting a wave of national grief.
Two victims – Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, and Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator, Alhaji Limuna Muniru Mohammed – were laid to rest on August 10.
The remaining six were interred on August 15, including Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Samuel Aboagye, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Vice Chairman Dr. Samuel Sarpong, Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang began her address by acknowledging that the moment should have been one of active service rather than mourning, reflecting on how the deceased would ordinarily have been engaged in national planning, execution, and evaluation of critical projects.
“Your determination to succeed was high; your focus unwavering; your resolve unambiguous,” she said, noting that even brief interactions with them revealed a firm decision to use their opportunities in service of the country.
Personal Bonds and Professional Dedication
The Vice President’s tribute was laced with personal recollections of working with the late Defence Minister, Dr. Omane Boamah, highlighting their shared dedication to the Ghana Armed Forces Council.
She recalled their mutual commitment to avoiding a “tall and cluttered agenda” by tackling assignments swiftly and following up on responsibilities with diligence.
“You had a positive reaction to the prospect of working with me; I was even more excited by the prospect of learning from you,” she said in memory of Dr. Boamah, before noting the humbling reality that “man proposes, God disposes.”
Her words extended beyond individual memories to a collective acknowledgment of the values all eight victims represented – loyalty, justice, dedication, trust, and hard work – qualities she urged Ghanaians to uphold in their honour.
In a poignant moment, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang shared verses from Ivorian poet Bernard Dadié, which she said reflected the enduring presence of the departed in the lives of the living.
“The dead are not gone forever.
They are in the paling shadows,
And in the darkening shadows.
The dead are not beneath the ground,
They are in the rustling tree,
In the murmuring wood,
In the flowing water,
In the still water,
In the lonely place, in the crowd:
The dead are not dead.”
She encouraged Ghanaians to “listen more often to things rather than beings” and to recognise in nature – from the sobbing of trees to the voice of water – the breath and memory of forebears.
Carrying Forward
The Vice President framed the tragedy not only as a moment of loss but also as a call to continue the work the victims began. She stressed that their example should inspire renewed national effort in “resetting our country” and guiding future steps with the legacies they left behind.
“You are always with us, my colleagues in the business of resetting our country and of guiding our steps though the legacies of humanness, loyalty, justice, dedication, determination, trust, and sheer hard work”
Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang
The burial ceremony concluded with solemnity, underscoring the depth of grief shared by the government, the military, and the Ghanaian people. The Vice President’s words, however, were a reminder that while the eight lives were lost in service, their values and contributions remain interwoven with the nation’s aspirations.
“Thanks for leaving these gifts, and more, with us,” she concluded. “Rest in peace.”
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