As Ghana mourns the tragic loss of eight persons, including two cabinet ministers in a helicopter crash, tributes continue to trickle in from both international and domestic organisations to commiserate with bereaved families.

The Ghana Institute of Foresters (GIF) has extended its condolences to the families as it joins the country in mourning the deceased persons comprising five high-profile government officials and three gallant soldiers of the Ghana Armed Forces.

The deceased were traveling to Obuasi for an event aimed at ending illegal small-scale mining when the helicopter they were aboard crashed into the Dampia Range Forest Reserve near Sikaman Brofoyedru in the Adansi Akrofuom district of the Ashanti Region.

In a statement, the GIF expressed its deepest commiserations as it highlighted the gallant efforts of the eight in contributing their quota to national development.

“These gallant men were responding to a national call which aims, among others, to regularise and sanitise mining in our landscapes (on and off Reserves) through the formation of cooperatives and acquisition of skills, to ensure environmental conservation, responsible and sustainable mining practices in host mining communities, which are critical issues confronting the nation in recent times,” the statement read.

It continued that: “We are deeply shocked and saddened by the devastating news and the irreparable loss of the two hard-working and dedicated Cabinet Ministers, and the loss of the six other committed public servants at this critical period of our national development”.

The GIF extended sincere condolences also to the President and Government, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology and Innovation, Parliament, the Armed Forces, and the National Security for the tragic loss.