A leading member of the Movement for Change, Solomon Owusu, has taken a swipe at the government’s spending priorities in the wake of the recent Z-9 military helicopter crash that claimed the lives of all eight people on board.
According to him, it was unacceptable for a nation to invest heavily in projects like the National Cathedral—which remains incomplete—while its military lacks essential equipment such as modern helicopters.
Speaking on the Big Issue segment of the NewDay show on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, Solomon Owusu lamented what he described as Ghana’s preference for frivolities over critical matters of national security. He stressed the urgent need for adequate resource allocation to the Ghana Armed Forces, contrasting the country’s military spending with that of the United States.
“Buying a robust helicopter wouldn’t cost you more than US$15 million,” he noted.
“Yet, we found US$22 million to give to David Adjaye just for design work on the National Cathedral, and US$97 million to dig a hole. That is where the nation’s priorities lie—not in strengthening our military.”
Mr. Owusu urged security analysts to be forthright in holding leaders accountable for what he called “misinvestment,” rather than skirting around the truth.
“When tragedies like this happen, I expect experts like Col. Aboagye and others to speak directly to those responsible for poor resource allocation and say, ‘Enough is enough.’ Let’s not sugar-coat the facts,” he said.
The fatal crash claimed the lives of Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah; Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed; Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Muniru Mohammed; former parliamentary candidate Samuel Aboagye; NDC Vice Chairman Samuel Sarpong; Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala; Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu; and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
The officials were travelling to Obuasi in the Ashanti Region to participate in an anti-illegal mining (“galamsey”) programme when the tragedy occurred.
