On Monday evening, March 16, 2026, Deputy Minister for Defense Hon. Brogya Genfi clarified that the aircraft which crashed earlier that afternoon in Tema Community One did not belong to the Ghana Air Force or the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
The Minister’s statement was issued to quell growing public speculation and anxiety regarding military involvement in the tragic incident, which claimed the lives of two people.
Clarifying the Ownership
In a post shared via social media and later confirmed by news outlets, the Deputy Minister moved quickly to distance the military from the accident:
Private Ownership: Brogya Genfi stated that the crashed aircraft was a privately owned microlight.
No Military Ties: "We wish to clarify that the aircraft is not owned by the Ghana Armed Forces," Genfi wrote, extending his deepest condolences to the families of the two victims who perished in the wreckage.
GCAA Confirmation: His clarification was supported by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), which identified the aircraft as a two-seater microlight with registration number 9G-ADV.
Sensitivity Around Air Force Crashes
The Deputy Minister’s swift intervention is seen as a move to maintain public trust following a period of heightened sensitivity regarding military aviation safety:
Past Tragedy: The clarification comes less than a year after the devastating August 6, 2025, crash of a Ghana Air Force Harbin Z-9 helicopter in the Ashanti Region, which killed eight people, including the then-Defense Minister Edward Omane Boamah.
Safety Concerns: Recent investigative reports have highlighted "systemic lapses" and "maintenance extensions" within state-run aviation sectors, leading to increased public scrutiny whenever an aircraft goes down.
Ongoing Investigation: While the GAF is not involved, the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation and Prevention Bureau (AIB) has taken over the Tema site to conduct a full technical probe into why the private flight from Ho to Accra ended in disaster.
Scene Update: Tema Community One
As of Tuesday morning, the crash site at the Oninku Drive School Park remains cordoned off. Investigators are scheduled to remove the charred wreckage of the 9G-ADV later today after completing their initial forensic assessment of the scene.
Read also: Two-Seater Aircraft Crash in Tema Leaves Two Dead
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