{
  "id": 225342,
  "title": "Government’s galamsey fight would make fallen helicopter crash victims proud – Paa Kwesi Schandorf",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/06/governments-galamsey-fight-would-make-fallen-helicopter-crash-victims",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-06T14:54:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/governments-galamsey-fight-would-make-fallen-helicopter-crash-victims-proud-paa-kwesi-schandorf/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The spokesperson for the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, expressed the sentiment that the eight state officials who perished in the helicopter crash last year would be proud of the government's ongoing battle against illegal mining. Speaking on JoyPrime to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the tragic August 6, 2025 incident, Mr. Schandorf emphasized that the government's galamsey initiatives stand as the most fitting tribute to the fallen heroes. He reiterated that honoring the victims' memories entails not just commemorating them through events, but by persistently combating illegal mining. \"The best tribute we can pay to their memories is to mount a competent fight and that's precisely what we've done so far,\" Mr. Schandorf affirmed. Among the deceased officials were the Defence Minister Dr Edward Kofi Omane-Boamah and the Agriculture Minister Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, who were killed when a Z9 helicopter from Ghana Air Force crashed in Adansi Sikaman, Ashanti Region, while en-route to Obuasi for anti-galamsey operations. This year, the anniversary was observed with a national inter-faith memorial service and a renewed focus on Ghana's advancements in combating illegal mining.",
  "summary": "The eight state officials who lost their lives in last year's helicopter crash would be proud of the government's efforts to combat illegal mining if they were alive today, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, has said.",
  "key_points": [
    "Eight state officials died in helicopter crash on August 6, 2025.",
    "Government's galamsey fight honors fallen officials' memory.",
    "Anniversary marked with national inter-faith memorial service."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}