Dr Samuel Sarpong Was Set to Lead Cocoa Processing Company, Asiedu Nketiah Reveals

Juabeng, Ashanti Region — Friday, August 8, 2025 — National Democratic Congress (NDC) Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has revealed that Dr. Samuel Sarpong, who died in the August 6 military helicopter crash, was just hours away from being officially appointed Board Chairman of the Cocoa Processing Company.

Speaking during an emotional condolence visit to the Sarpong family home in Juabeng, Mr. Nketiah said the appointment letter had been finalized the very morning of the tragic trip to Obuasi. Dr. Samuel Sarpong had been travelling to attend the launch of the Responsible Co-operative Mining and Skills Development Programme (COMSDEP) when the crash in the Adansi area claimed his life and that of Defence Minister Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, Minister for Environment, Science and Technology Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, and five others.

Mr. Nketiah, visibly shaken, disclosed that he was initially scheduled to be on the helicopter but stepped aside due to pressing commitments — a decision he now reflects on with heavy emotion.

“This is a loss beyond politics. Sarpong was more than a colleague; he was a comrade from the days of the revolution, a man who stood with me through every step of my political journey,” Nketiah said, his voice breaking.

He credited Dr. Samuel Sarpong with playing a key role in his rise from NDC General Secretary to National Chairman, calling him a “pillar” of the party.

The NDC Chairman assured the family that both the party and the government would support them and all other bereaved families affected by the disaster.

The August 6 crash has plunged Ghana into mourning, with preparations underway for a state funeral next week.