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Edward Omane Boamah

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Edward Kofi Omane Boamah
Boamah in 2015
Minister for Defence
In office
30 January 2025 – 6 August 2025
PresidentJohn Mahama
Preceded byDominic Nitiwul
Succeeded byVacant
Minister for Communications
In office
14 February 2013 – January 2017
PresidentJohn Mahama
Preceded byHaruna Iddrisu
Succeeded byUrsula Owusu
Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports
In office
February 2012 – January 2013
PresidentJohn Atta-Mills
Deputy Minister for Environment, Science and Technology
In office
April 2009 – February 2012
Personal details
Born(1974-12-26)26 December 1974[1]
Died6 August 2025(2025-08-06) (aged 50)
Adansi District, Ashanti Region, Ghana
NationalityGhanaian
Political partyNational Democratic Congress
Alma materUniversity of Ghana Medical School
London School of Economics
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
OccupationHealth Policy Planning and Financing Expert
ProfessionMedical Practitioner

Edward Kofi Omane Boamah (26 December 1974 – 6 August 2025) was a Ghanaian politician and physician who served as the Minister of Defence from February 2025 until his death on 6 August 2025.[2][3] He was previously the Minister for Communications and Spokesperson to the President of the Republic of Ghana, and a member of the National Democratic Congress.[4][5]

Early life and education

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Boamah was born in 1974.[6] He attended Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary in Koforidua, Ghana. He was an alumnus of the University of Ghana Medical School, where he trained as a Medical Doctor. He briefly attended Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.[7] In addition, he held a master's degree in Health Policy Planning and Financing from both London School of Economics and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. As a student, he served as a President of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) and the Coordinating Secretary of the Federation of Ghana Medical Students Association (FGMSA).

Political career

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Deputy Minister for Environment, Science and Technology

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From 2009 to 2012, he served as a deputy minister for environment, science and technology[8][9] and later National Democratic Congress's deputy campaign coordinator in the 2012 general elections. He also served as the vice chairman of the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development (UNCSTD).

As a deputy minister for environment, science and technology, he chaired the committees which investigated the spillage of Low Toxicity Oil Based Mud (LTOBM) by KOSMOS Energy in the Jubilee Offshore Field – West Cape Three Points in Ghana and the spillage of sodium cyanide in a water body in Kenyase, Ghana, by Newmont Ghana Gold Limited. During his tenure, the government invested in a nationwide tree planting address issues relating to global warming and excessive cutting down of trees, which threatens the world.[10]

Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports

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Boamah served as Deputy Minister for Youth and Sport in the administration of President John Atta Mills from 2012 to 2013.[8][11][12]

Minister for Communications

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Boamah was appointed in February 2013 by President John Mahama after the Ghanaian general election in December 2012, Spokesperson to the President Mahama from August 2014 to January 2017.[4][13] Prior to these appointments, he was assigned the responsibility of coordinating Ghana's participation in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON 2013).[14]

As Minister for Communications, he was an advocate for the protection of children online. He responded to the growing cyber threats by setting up the National Computer Emergence Response Team and a National Committee on Child Online Protection to develop a national child online protection framework and usage of the internet.[15] He served as a Member of the Board of Ghana AIDS Commission from 2014 to 2016.

Medical career

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Boamah served as a member of the WHO volunteers monitoring the 2004 Expanded Program on Immunization in the Asuogyaman District in the Eastern Region of Ghana and also a member of the Medical Rescue team for the Accra Sports Stadium disaster in 2001. He resumed his medical practice at Afrah International Hospital after his party, the National Democratic Congress, lost the 2016 general election.[16]

Notable previous assignments

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  • Spokesperson to the President of Ghana, John Mahama.
  • Coordinator of Ghana's participation in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations[17]
  • Chairman of Investigative Committees on the spillage of Low-Toxicity Oil-Based Mud (LTOBM) by Kosmos Energy in the Jubilee Offshore Field – West Cape Three Points in Ghana and the spillage of sodium cyanide in a Water Body in Kenyase, Ghana, by Newmont Ghana Gold Limited.[citation needed]

Death

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Main article: 2025 Ghanaian Air Force Z-9 helicopter crash

Boamah died in a military helicopter crash on 6 August 2025, while en route to Obuasi for an event to combat galamsey (illegal mining)[18] in a Ghana Armed Forces Z‑9 helicopter. The accident, which occurred in the Adansi District in the Ashanti Region, killed all eight people aboard: Boamah; Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed; Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Limuna Mohammed Muniru; NDC Vice Chairman Samuel Sarpong; former parliamentary candidate Samuel Aboagye; pilot Peter Bafemi Anala; co-Pilot Manaen Twum Ampadu; and crewman Ernest Addo Mensah.[3][19]

Works

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Boamah wrote a book on former president John Atta Mills, titled A Peaceful Man In An African Democracy, that is scheduled for release in late 2025.[18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Maxwell Nyagamago (6 August 2025). "Omane Boamah and Murtala Mohammed: What to know about the 2 ministers killed in the helicopter crash". pulse.com.gh. Ghana: Pulse. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  2. ^ "Parliament approves Omane Boamah as Defence Minister-designate". 30 January 2025. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Omane Boamah, Murtala Mohammed, six others dead in military helicopter crash". Citinewsroom. 6 August 2025. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Parliament approves nine more appointees". GhanaWeb. Ghana Home Page. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  5. ^ "I recruited Omane Boamah when he was a card bearing member of NPP – Kwesi Pratt". MyNewsGh. 8 August 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Edward Omane Boamah: A Multifaceted Servant Lost Too Soon". News Ghana. 8 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  7. ^ Nyarko, Christiana Afua. "Dr. Edward Omane Boamah: A Profile of Ghana's Defence Minister". www.msn.com. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  8. ^ a b "Edward Omane Boamah". World Bank Live. 23 September 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Deputy Ministers". Ghana Review. Archived from the original on 11 August 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  10. ^ "Ministry to spend GH¢ 200,000 on tree planting nation-wide". BusinessGhana. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  11. ^ "Government appoints Omane-Boamah as Ghana's 2013 Afcon coordinator". Goal. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  12. ^ "GNPC INJECTS 450,000 IN ECOWAS GAMES". Reporting Oil and Gas. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  13. ^ "Minister Engages Former Appointees". Ministry of Communications. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  14. ^ Paul, Simon. "Government appoints Omane-Boamah as Ghana's 2013 Afcon coordinator". Goal. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  15. ^ "World Telecommunication Development Conference 2014". itu.int. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  16. ^ GNA (10 April 2025). "Dr. Edward Omane Boamah: A Profile of Ghana's Defence Minister". Ghana News Agency. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  17. ^ "Gov't names Omane Boamah as Ghana's Coordinator for AFCON 2013 - MyJoyOnline". Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  18. ^ a b Naadi, Thomas; Kupemba, Danai Nesta (6 August 2025). "Ghana helicopter crash kills ministers of defence and environment". BBC News. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  19. ^ "Defence Minister Dr Omane Boamah, Dr Murtala Mohammed and others dead". GhanaWeb. 6 August 2025. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
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Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Communications
2013–2017 		Succeeded by
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