Ghana has appointed a new defence minister, nearly one year after a military helicopter crash killed his predecessor, Edward Omane Boamah.
President John Dramani Mahama’s office announced on Friday that Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, who previously served as minister of works, housing and water resources, had been reassigned to lead the defence ministry.
Adjei brings previous experience in the defence sector, having served as deputy defence minister between 2012 and 2017.
Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson had been serving as acting defence minister since August 2025, following the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Boamah, environment minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, three other government officials and three air force crew members.
Ghana held a memorial service on Thursday for those killed in the crash and unveiled a cenotaph in honour of Boamah.
The appointment comes as Ghana, like other West African countries, faces growing security concerns linked to the expansion of Islamist militant groups operating in the Sahel region.
The groups have increasingly attempted to push southwards from Burkina Faso and Mali, where they have carried out frequent deadly attacks.
Ghana has been strengthening security measures to prevent spillover from regional conflicts and protect its northern borders from emerging threats.
