São Tomé and Príncipe President Pays Tribute to Ghana’s Air Force Helicopter Crash Victims

By  Mavis Emefa Goka / 12 August, 2025

 The President of São Tomé and Príncipe, H.E. Carlos Vila Nova, has commiserated with the government and people of Ghana following the tragic Air Force helicopter crash that claimed the lives of eight senior officials last week.

During a solemn ceremony at the Ceremonial Garden of the Jubilee House in Accra on Monday,August 11,2025.President Vila Nova laid a wreath and signed the book of condolence in honour of the victims. He expressed deep sorrow over the loss, describing the tragedy as not only a blow to Ghana but also to Africa.

The eight victims,among them Ghana’s Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed,were killed on August 6 while travelling to Obuasi for an event under the Responsible Co-operative Mining and Skills Development Programme (COMSDEP), an initiative aimed at tackling illegal mining.

In his message of sympathy, President Vila Nova conveyed his condolences to President John Dramani Mahama, the bereaved families, and the Ghanaian people, pledging the solidarity of São Tomé and Príncipe in this period of national mourning.

Ghana has declared a week of mourning in memory of the deceased, with flags flying at half-mast across the country. Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in the coming days.

The Air Force has begun investigations into the cause of the crash, while tributes continue to pour in from leaders across Africa and beyond.