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Edward Omane Boamah
Ghanaian politician (1974–2025) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Edward Kofi Omane Boamah (26 December 1975 – 6 August 2025) was a Ghanaian politician and physician who served as the Minister of Defence from 1 February 2025 until his death in a helicopter crash on 6 August 2025.[2][3] A member of the National Democratic Congress,[4][5] he was previously the Minister for Communications and Spokesperson to the President of Ghana.
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Early life and education
Boamah was born on 26 December 1975 in Nkawkaw to the late Mr. Edward Kwame Omane and Madam Leticia Asante. He hailed from Koforidua Effiduase. He was married to Rita Abena and had three children.[6] He attended Koforidua Presby 'B' School, continued at Nana Kwaku Boateng Experimental School, and furthered to Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary in Koforidua, Ghana[6]. 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).
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Political career
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Deputy Minister for Environment, Science and Technology
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 that 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
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
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.
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Medical career
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
- 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]
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Personal life
In 2006, Omane-Boamah married Rita Adubea Offei, a chartered accountant and development finance professional and they had two daughters and a son.[18][19]
Death
Boamah died in a military helicopter crash on 6 August 2025, while en route to Obuasi for an event to combat galamsey (illegal mining)[20] 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][21] He and other victims of the crash were accorded a state funeral in Accra on 15 August that was attended by President John Mahama.[22]
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Works
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.[20]
See also
References
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