A solemn thanksgiving service was held Sunday at Christ the King Catholic Parish in Accra to honor the lives of Ghana’s late Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, and Squadron Leader Peter Baafemi Anala, who perished in a military helicopter crash earlier this month.
The ceremony, attended by President John Dramani Mahama, First Lady Lordina Mahama, and a host of senior government and military officials, marked a continued national mourning for the two men. They were among eight people killed on August 6 when a military helicopter en route to an anti-illegal mining operation in Obuasi crashed under still-unclear circumstances.
Tributes delivered at the service described Dr. Boamah and Squadron Leader Anala a0 public servants and patriots who exemplified integrity and commitment to peacebuilding efforts. Their deaths have struck a deep chord across the nation’s political and defense establishments.
The thanksgiving service followed a state funeral held Friday at Accra’s Black Star Square, which included full military honors and a burial at the Military Cemetery in Tse Addo.
Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Oudzeto Ablakwa, and Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh were also in attendance, underscoring the high-level grief and recognition surrounding the tragedy.
