GJA Urges Media to Cease Sharing Graphic Helicopter Crash Images
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic military helicopter crash that claimed the lives of five senior government officials and three military crew members on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region.
In a statement issued on Thursday, August 7, the GJA extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, President John Dramani Mahama and the Ghana Armed Forces.
The association described the incident as a devastating national loss, and called on media houses and the public to stop circulating gory images from the crash site.
The victims of the crash include Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Muniru Mohammed, former Parliamentary Candidate Samuel Aboagye, and NDC Vice Chairman Samuel Sarpong.
Also perished were Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah, who were operating the Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 helicopter.
According to initial reports, the aircraft was en route to Obuasi when it went off radar, leading to a crash that has plunged the country into mourning. The bodies have since been retrieved and transported to the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.
President Mahama has declared three days of national mourning, beginning Thursday, August 7, as the nation pays tribute to the fallen statesmen and service members. The officials were reportedly on a mission to address illegal small-scale mining, commonly known as galamsey, a major national concern.
The GJA emphasised that the deceased were gallant public servants who died while pursuing a case in service to the nation, calling on journalists and media houses to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, sensitivity, and ethical conduct in their coverage of the incident.
“We must honour the memory of the departed by treating this incident with the dignity and respect the deceased deserve,” the GJA urged, adding that the circulation of gory images of the crash scene is “highly insensitive” and a breach of journalistic ethics.
The association specifically appealed to practitioners across both traditional and new media, as well as the public, to refrain from sharing graphic content, noting that such actions only worsen the trauma of grieving families and undermine the national healing process.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Public Safety (BPS) has called for an independent and transparent investigation into the cause of the crash, as pressure mounts for accountability and clarity on the incident.
President Mahama has also directed the Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, to assume additional responsibility as Minister for Defence with immediate effect.
Similarly, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Kofi Armah Buah, has been appointed to act as Minister for Environment, Science and Technology until further notice.
