Accra: Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday night urged national unity as the country mourned the victims of Wednesday's military helicopter crash.

In a televised address, Mahama said Ghana was in "a moment of shared heartbreak," and a time to reflect on the value of life, the sacrifices of public service, and the need to honor those devoted to the nation's well-being.

"Our nation is grieving. On behalf of the government and the people of Ghana, I extend my deepest condolences to their families, friends, and loved ones," the president said.

He called for restraint amid questions over the cause of the tragedy, saying the Ghana Armed Forces had launched a full and transparent investigation. A board of inquiry has been set up after the retrieval of the flight data and cockpit voice recorders.

The government is in touch with the bereaved families to facilitate the identification of the bodies and burial arrangements. The victims' remains were flown to South Africa late Thursday for forensic examination.

Ghana has declared three days of national mourning for the crash, which killed all eight people on board, including Defence Minister Edward Kofi Omane Boamah and Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed.

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