Franklin Cudjoe, President of policy think tank IMANI Africa, has linked Ghana’s deadly August 6 helicopter crash to years of stalled action against illegal mining (galamsey).
Eight people died, including Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed.
“It’s hard, it’s painful,” Cudjoe stated on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue, extending condolences to families. He urged against politicizing the tragedy, stressing that consistent policy failure enabled the crisis. “If significant action had been taken in the last 5 to 7 years, we might not be here.”
The ministers and military personnel were en route to launch COMSDEP a government program offering legal mining alternatives in Obuasi when their aircraft crashed in Adansi Akrofuom. Cudjoe called for honoring their legacy through tangible reforms: “Their ultimate sacrifice must drive change.”
He criticized fragmented efforts across administrations, noting galamsey’s environmental and social toll remains unaddressed. Will this tragedy finally spur unified action? For now, Ghana mourns leaders lost mid-mission.
