The Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Richard Ofori Agyemang, commonly known as 'King Zuba', has shared some light on last week's tragic helicopter crash in the Adansi area that resulted in eight people, including cabinet ministers, losing their lives.
According to him, there was a communication from one of the passengers on board with those on the ground via telephone that directed that a vehicle should be arranged to pick them at the landing site. But he said, Samuel Aboagye, one of the passengers on board called twice to change the landing site twice, which was an indication the helicopter had difficulty landing.
- Related:
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Speaking in a television interview monitored by Graphic Online on The Pulse programme on Joy News on Tuesday afternoon [Aug 12, 2025], Mr Agyemang said at least two passengers on the helicopter, Samuel Aboagye and Samuel Sarpong reached out to other people via telephone moments before the crash, an indication they were having difficulty landing.
He said the helicopter had initially tried to land at the Obuasi Airstrip and changed to the Ofori Stadium, according to Samuel Aboagye, one of the passengers on board.
Aboagye, he said had contacted the Municipal Chief Executive for Obuasi West, Faustilove Appiah Kannin and had directed that the MCE should allow his [Aboagye] vehicle to meet and pick him up. Related: Our last call lasted only 16 seconds – MCE on conversation with late Samuel Aboagye
Richard Ofori Agyemang, himself an Obuasi boy and a native of the Adansi area said the whole of the Obuasi and Adansi area is a forest belt, and around this time of the year, the weather is not conducive.
The Kumasi MCE was part of the team that went to the crash site to recover the remains and said even though the investigation has not been concluded to suggest it was as a result of bad weather, "the Obuasi Airstrip is in a forest area, the Ofori Stadium is at Anyinam in between Sam Jonah Estate and Precious Estate and there are trees all over, so if humidity is not conducive...."
"But then on the aircraft, Honourable Samuel Sarpong, [the Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress] tried reaching Honourable Ohene Agyekum [former Ambassador, senior statesman and elder of the NDC] on telephone, he called him just between the time that the incident occurred. Unfortunately, Ambassador Ohene Agyekum could not answer the call. Later on, when he saw Dr Sarpong's [missed] call and tried to call back what had happened, had happened," Mr Agyemang said.
Related: Ghana Armed Forces warns against speculative reports on military helicopter crash
He added: "Samuel Aboagye on the aircraft was able to reach the MCE for Obuasi West to direct that his [Aboagye] vehicle, which he keeps in Obuasi should be sent to the Obuasi Airstrip, and that when they were unable to land at the Obuasi Airstrip, he again called the MCE to redirect the movement of his vehicle from the Obuasi Airstrip to the Ofori Stadium. That was the last [they] heard of him." Related: Our last call lasted only 16 seconds – MCE on conversation with late Samuel Aboagye
Aboagye is also from the Obuasi area and was a Parliamentary candidate on the ticket of the NDC in the area in the last elections.
Attached below is a video of the interview on Joy News
Samuel Aboagye, one of the passenger's on crashed helicopter made phone call that indicated they had difficulty in landing - Kumasi MCE (AUDIO) https://t.co/uMxz9L32GI pic.twitter.com/iKB6AAR2WY
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