President John Dramani Mahama has announced the full implementation of a comprehensive support package for the families of the eight officials who lost their lives in the Ghana Armed Forces helicopter crash in August 2025, including the establishment of GH¢1 million trust funds for every minor child left behind.
The package follows the tragic crash that claimed the lives of eight senior government and military officials, including Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Environment Minister Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Mohammed-Muniru Limuna, former Ashanti Regional Minister Dr. Samuel Sarpong, Deputy Director-General of NADMO Samuel Aboagye, and three military officers. In the aftermath of the tragedy, the government established the Children’s Support Fund to provide long-term educational and welfare support for the dependants of the deceased, alongside compensation and other benefits for their families.
Speaking at a ceremony in Accra on Thursday, July 30, President Mahama said the interventions fulfilled the government’s commitment to support the bereaved families beyond the period of national mourning.
“I’m pleased to announce today that these interventions have now been fully implemented for the families of our fallen civilian officials,” the President said.
President Mahama disclosed that on July 3, the Accra Circuit Court, acting under the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1963 (Act 174), awarded a total compensation package of GH¢13,872,962.40 to the dependants of the four civilian officials who died in the crash. He added that compensation packages for the families of the three fallen military officers had also been processed in accordance with the Armed Forces Regulations, 1992 (L.I. 1546) and formally presented on Thursday.
Beyond the compensation, the President announced that every affected family has been enrolled onto the highest-tier healthcare package under Nationwide Medical Insurance.
According to him, the package provides healthcare coverage worth GH¢3 million annually for each family across all dependants and grants access to 942 accredited healthcare providers nationwide. Each family has also been issued a unique identification card to facilitate seamless access to healthcare services.
President Mahama described the Children’s Support Fund as a national obligation rather than an act of charity, stressing that education remains the greatest investment the country can make in the children of its fallen heroes.
He revealed that 13 professionally managed trust accounts have been opened at Stanbic Bank, with GH¢1 million deposited into each account for the minor children of the deceased. The funds will be professionally managed and invested to ensure sustainable growth while meeting the children’s educational needs.
The President further announced that six fixed deposit accounts have also been established for the five adult children of Dr. Samuel Sarpong and the first daughter of Mohammed-Muniru Limuna, with GH¢1 million deposited into each account. He explained that the funds would remain under a three-month holding period to allow the investments to appreciate while beneficiaries prepare plans for the productive use of the resources.
Addressing the bereaved families, President Mahama acknowledged that financial support could never replace their loved ones but assured them that the nation would continue to honour their sacrifice.
He said the legacy of the deceased would live on through the education, welfare and future achievements of the children they left behind.
Story by Freedom Etsey Lavoe
