Ghana has appointed Kenneth Gilbert Adjei as its new defence minister, one year after a military helicopter crash killed his predecessor and seven other people.
President John Dramani Mahama’s office announced on Friday that Adjei, who had been serving as minister of works, housing and water resources, had been reassigned to lead the defence ministry.
Adjei previously served as Ghana’s deputy defence minister between 2012 and 2017, giving him prior experience in the portfolio.
Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson had been serving as acting defence minister since August 2025, when a military helicopter crashed and killed then-defence minister Edward Omane Boamah.
The crash also killed Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, three other government officials and three members of the air force crew.
Ghana held a memorial service on Thursday to mark the first anniversary of the disaster, during which authorities unveiled a cenotaph honouring Boamah.
Adjei takes over the defence portfolio at a time when Ghana, like several other West African states, is facing growing concern over the possible southward expansion of armed groups operating across the Sahel.
Militant organisations active in Burkina Faso and Mali have carried out repeated deadly attacks in recent years, raising security concerns in neighbouring coastal countries including Ghana.
The government has sought to strengthen security along Ghana’s northern frontier as instability continues across the wider region.
