The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, on Monday urged Ghanaians to take genuine prophecies seriously, warning against dismissing spiritual warnings and messages from credible men of God.

The Speaker’s remarks were made when he led a delegation from Parliament to officially visit the residences of the late Alhaji Muniru Mohammed Limuna, a former Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator, and the late Dr Edward Omane Boamah, a former Defence Minister, at their residences in Accra, to pay their respects.

The delegation led by the Speaker of Parliament included the Clerk to Parliament, Mr Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror; Mr Mahama Ayayriga, Majority Leader; Madam Patricia Appiagyei; Deputy Minority Leader, Mr. Rockson Nelson Etse Dafeamepkor, Majority Chief Whip; and Madam Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah, First Deputy Majority Leader.

Mr Bagbin stressed that spiritual insights from trusted religious leaders should not be taken lightly.

“Pastors, the Reverends—we should listen to them. It is not all of them who are looking for money. Don’t take what they say for granted.

“I have listened to the prophecies, and I don’t take them lightly because that is their area. I can’t say somebody who is not in Parliament will know parliamentary work more than me. And so I don’t know about the spiritual world more than those who have taken it as a career. And so all these things work for good; we should not ignore them,” he said.

The Speaker’s remarks came in the wake of a new directive from the Presidency’s Interfaith and Ecumenical Relations Office, requiring religious leaders to submit prophecies of national significance for official review.

In a letter issued on Sunday, August 10, Presidential Envoy Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah urged the clergy to present any prophecy or spiritual insight relating to high-profile political leaders, governance, national security, or public stability for urgent assessment.

The move follows the circulation of viral videos on social media after the Wednesday, August 6, military helicopter crash that killed eight people, including two cabinet ministers.

In the alleged videos, some self-proclaimed men of God claimed to have foreseen the disaster and issued warnings that were ignored.

Mr Bagbin reminded mourners that, despite the grief of the moment, “they should not forget about the power of the Almighty God,” adding that a culture of discernment and respect for credible spiritual counsel could help the nation avert future tragedies.

The helicopter crash on Wednesday, August 6, claimed the lives of Dr Edward Omane Boamah, a former Minister for Defence, and Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed,a former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation and a former National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central.

Others confirmed dead were Alhaji Muniru Mohammed Limuna, a former Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator; Mr Samuel Aboagye, a former parliamentary candidate for the NDC; and Mr Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the NDC.

The crew members who perished were Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.

Earlier, the Ghana Armed Forces reported that the Z-9 helicopter, carrying three crew members and five passengers, had gone “off the radar.”

The aircraft was reported to have departed Accra at 0912 hours and was heading to Obuasi for an anti-illegal mining event.

Its disappearance triggered an immediate search-and-rescue operation, which later confirmed that all eight people aboard had died.

A national mourning period has been declared, with flags flying at half-mast across the country.

A flower-laying ceremony had been held as part of a series of national mourning events leading up to the state burial scheduled for August 15, 2025.

The flower-laying ceremony started on Thursday, August 7.

Meanwhile, an evening of reflections and memorials in honour of the eight victims was also held on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at the forecourt of the State House.

Families, friends, and dignitaries, led by President John Dramani Mahama, gathered at the venue to solemnly honour the memories of the departed compatriots.

The late Alhaji Mohammed Limuna and the late Murtala Mohammed were buried on Sunday, August 10, in Accra, according to Islamic practice.