Lawyer Emmanuel Kojo Mensah, a member of the NPP Communications Team and Former Parliamentary Candidate Aspirant of for Trobu, has hinted that the upcoming 2026 national budget will make major allocations to retool Ghana’s Armed Forces, following the release of the official report on the recent military helicopter crash.
Speaking on the findings and recommendations of the investigative report, on Atinka TV’s Ghana Nie hosted by Ama Gyenfa Ofosu-Darkwa, Mr. Mensah said the tragedy should serve as a wake-up call to strengthen the country’s defense and aviation systems.
“They can’t just leave it like that. They must make recommendations to the state. How much have we invested in our defense system? Successive governments have done their best, but this budget, I know, is going to make massive allocations to tool out our services,” he stated.
Mr. Mensah praised government efforts to improve national security infrastructure and commended former President John Mahama for what he described as “bold decisions” and for “taking care of the affected families.”
According to the report on the crash, the Air Force helicopter went down due to a combination of poor weather and the lack of modern safety and tracking systems, not pilot error. The pilots were found to be experienced and in good health, ruling out human fault.
Key Findings of the Crash Report
1. The weather was unfavorable, and pilots did not receive adequate weather updates along their route.
2. The aircraft lacked modern safety equipment such as a terrain warning system and advanced navigation tools.
3. There were no real-time tracking systems to monitor the flight.
4. The pilots were experienced and medically fit, confirming that human error was not a factor.
5. The Air Force does not have sufficient flight simulators for training.
Recommendations
-The committee called for urgent modernization of the Air Force, including:
-Upgrading all helicopters with modern safety and tracking systems.
-Regular simulator-based pilot training.
-Improved weather and navigation support for all flights.
-Comprehensive modernization of the fleet to ensure safety in poor weather conditions.
Lawyer Kojo Mensah emphasized that the government’s forthcoming budget will take these findings seriously. “This has proven that we must wake up as a nation. We are going to build a strong defense system going forward,” he added.
He reiterated the need for national unity in addressing defense challenges and ensuring that such tragedies do not recur.
By Ebenezer Madugu
