Amidst the global celebrations of love and companionship on Saturday, 14th February 2026, President John Dramani Mahama turned the nation’s attention toward a gesture of empathy.

The President extended a heartfelt Valentine’s Day message to the widows of the eight distinguished individuals who perished in the catastrophic helicopter crash of 6th August 2025.

The gesture, aimed at providing emotional solace to the bereaved women, was shared across the President's official social media platforms.

Accompanying a group photograph of the eight widows, President Mahama used love emojis and a minimalist, yet poignant caption:

“Happy Valentine’s Day.”

The President’s message serves as a reminder of the national tragedy that occurred six months ago.

On the afternoon of 6th August 2025, a fatal helicopter crash claimed the lives of eight passengers who were en route to a high-profile mining event in the Ashanti Region.

The incident remains one of the most significant aviation disasters in the country's recent history.

The victims included high-ranking government officials and military officers, whose deaths sparked a wave of public mourning and intense national scrutiny over flight safety protocols.

The tragedy claimed a total of eight lives, with no survivors reported from the impact. The victims identified in the crash included:

Name	Role / Position
Dr. Edward Omane Boamah	Minister for Defence
Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed	Minister for Environment, Science and Technology
Muniru Mohammed Limuna	Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator
Samuel Sarpong	NDC Vice-Chair
Samuel Aboagye	Former Parliamentary Candidate
Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala	Pilot
Flying Officer Manaen Twum Ampadu	Co-pilot
Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah	Flight Technician

Since the 2025 disaster, civil society groups and political entities have consistently called for sustained welfare programmes for the families of the deceased.