National Democratic Congress (NDC) Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, popularly known as General Mosquito, has revealed that he was originally scheduled to be on the helicopter that crashed, killing eight people, including high-ranking ministers of state.

The helicopter crash on Wednesday, August 6, in the Adansi area of the Ashanti Region, claimed the lives of Defence Minister Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah; Environment, Science and Technology Minister Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed; Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Alhaji Muniru Mohammed Limuna; NDC Vice Chairman Dr. Samuel Sarpong; NADMO Deputy Director-General Samuel Aboagye; Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala; Flying Officer Manaen Twum-Ampadu; and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.

Addressing a recent gathering, Mr. Nketiah disclosed the shocking detail of a last-minute change of plans, which resulted in Dr Sarpong taking his place to represent the NDC at the launch of the Responsible Co-operative Mining and Skills Development Programme (COMSDEP) in Obuasi. 

“Allah does what he wants. I was supposed to be on the flight, and last minute, I directed my vice chairman, who is Dr Sarpong, that he should go and stand in for the party, and he accepted it,” he stated.

The chairman spoke about the unpredictability of life and the futility of questioning fate. He framed the tragedy within a larger spiritual context, urging his audience to find solace in their faith.

"In your human ways, you may be thinking that if I had not sent Sarpong, maybe he would be here. But who knows? God might have decided that if this is his time, he will be knocked down by some trotro in Accra. So, we don’t question what Allah wants to do... So, in all things, we give thanks to him,” he said.

His words offered a moment of reflection, suggesting that while the loss is immense, the outcome might have been even more devastating.

"Maybe if it didn’t happen, something worse might have happened,” he added, a statement that has provided a measure of comfort to many grieving Ghanaians.

Dr. Samuel Sarpong's death has created a significant void within the NDC, as he was a key figure and Vice Chairman of the party.

His willingness to "stand in" for Chairman Nketiah has been viewed as a final act of selfless service to the party and the nation.

The crash, which also took the lives of other prominent officials, has led to a major investigation by authorities to determine the cause of the disaster.