Hot SourceThe Member of Parliament for Tolon, Alhaji Habib Iddrisu, has urged President John Dramani Mahama to make public the findings of the committee set up to investigate the 6 August military helicopter crash that killed eight people, including the Minister for Defence and the Minister for Environment, Science and Technology.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday (28 October), Alhaji Iddrisu criticised what he described as the government’s silence since the committee’s 30-day deadline expired, saying it has left families and citizens uncertain about the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
“We have not been briefed as to what is going on — whether the committee has finished its work or submitted its report,” the MP said.
“This is a national tragedy, unprecedented in our history, and Ghanaians deserve to know exactly what happened.”
The legislator said he had formally written to the president under Article 21(1)(f) of the 1992 Constitution and Section 18 of the Right to Information Act (Act 989) to request a full disclosure or an official update on the committee’s findings.
He emphasised that the public is entitled to know whether the helicopter was airworthy, what the black box contained, and what led to the crash.
“If the black box has been recovered, we need to know what conversations or recordings were retrieved,” he said. “This will help guide future aviation safety and improve the Defence Ministry’s capacity.”
Alhaji Iddrisu also raised concerns about parts of the investigation and autopsies being conducted outside Ghana, calling for the country to strengthen its own technical and forensic capacity.
He dismissed suggestions that his request was politically driven.
“This is not about politics,” he said. “Those who died were public servants — not party officials. As a citizen and MP, I am seeking information within my right. Transparency is what strengthens democracy.”
The Tolon MP also joined the Minority’s call for the appointment of a substantive Minister for Defence, warning that Ghana’s national security could be undermined by prolonged interim leadership.
“Ghana’s defence is too important to be left without a substantive minister,” he said. “We must have someone accountable to the Commander-in-Chief and the people of Ghana.”
Alhaji Habib Iddrisu expressed optimism that the presidency would respond to his request within the 14-day timeframe set by the Right to Information Act.
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