The government has confirmed that it has sought international assistance in investigating the August 6 Ghana Air Force Z-9 helicopter crash in the Ashanti Region, which claimed the lives of all eight people on board, including two cabinet ministers.

Deputy Minister for Defence, Brogya Genfi, made the announcement when a delegation from the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs visited the Ministry of Defence on Wednesday, August 13, to offer condolences to staff and leadership.

Mr Genfi said the Ghana Armed Forces had already commenced investigations and was working with foreign experts to ensure a thorough and transparent probe.

“We also want to assure you that the Ghana Armed Forces has already begun investigations into the incident. We have requested international collaboration and have received a positive response.

“And so we want to assure you, our Chiefs, that nothing will be covered; it will be transparent, and the public will know exactly what happened in the course of this tragic accident,” he said.

The Deputy Minister cautioned the media and public commentators against spreading false information about the tragedy.

“We also want to caution the media and some analysts who have been churning out misinformation and untruths about this whole incident. All I want to say is that Ghanaians should trust that the Ministry and the Ghana Armed Forces will be diligent in the investigations and transparent about it.

“Whatever was the cause will be made known to the people of Ghana, and we will take some lessons from that. I don’t want to say anything beyond that.”

Paying tribute to the late Defence Minister, Mr. Genfi described him as an exceptional leader whose vision for strengthening the Armed Forces had already begun to yield results.

“Our minister was so fantastic. Even in the short period that he served at the Ministry, there are many people who have good stories to tell about him. We know the aggressive strategy that he undertook to retool the Ghana Armed Forces. Unfortunately for us, he didn’t live to see the fruits of that strategic step,” he said.