Today marks a year of profound sorrow—a solemn anniversary that echoes with the heavy weight of national grief.

Exactly twelve months ago, , on the 6th of August, the skies over Adansi bore witness to a loss so sudden, so devastating, that our nation’s heart stopped for a moment.

Eight gallant servants of our nation lost their lives tragically in the line of noble national duty, perishing in a helicopter crash while serving the land they loved so deeply.

We remember Dr. Edward Omane Boamah and Alhaji Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, ministers who carried the weight of national duty with quiet resolve.

We remember Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, Dr. Samuel Sarpong, and Samuel Aboagye, whose dedication to country never wavered.

And we remember the three gallant men of the Ghana Armed Forces who flew them — the unseen heroes who so often carry others toward purpose, asking for no recognition, only trust.

On a personal level, this loss remains a source of aching and immeasurable grief.

I grieved not just as a minister, not just as a colleague, but as a fellow Ghanaian who understood exactly what they were fighting for.

But beyond my personal sorrow, it stands as an irreplaceable tragedy that has etched a permanent, poignant scar upon the conscience of our entire country.

These were not only public servants but patriots of the highest order, men of exceptional courage, dedication, and selflessness who answered the call of duty without hesitation.

As we pause to soberly reflect on their lives, their character, and the painful void their absence has left in our hearts, we must ask ourselves how we can truly honor the fallen.

The answer does not lie in grief alone.
The best, most enduring way to honor their memory is to successfully wage, and ultimately win, the existential fight against illegal mining.

We owe it to their memory to be relentless, uncompromising, and victorious in dismantling the destruction that threatens our water bodies, our forest reserves, and the very viability of our motherland.

Honoring them also demands that we breathe life into the noble ideals and values they so passionately stood for, championing selflessness over self-interest, integrity in service, and unflinching patriotism that puts Ghana first, always.

Let their dedication be the mirror against which we measure our own commitment to Mother Ghana.

May God bless their eternal memory, and may God bless our homeland Ghana.