Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah was born on 26 December 1975 at the Nkawkaw Holy Family Hospital to Mr. Edward Kwame Omane and Madam Leticia Asante (Sister Abena). Rooted in Koforidua Effiduase and Kwahu Obomeng, he was baptised at St. George’s Catholic Church, Koforidua, and raised in a home that valued discipline, humility, faith, and service.
Faith and service shaped his childhood. He served as an altar boy, became President of the Knights of St. John Cadet Corps in Koforidua, and was active in the Boy Scouts. His formal education began at Koforidua Experimental Basic School and continued at Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary (1989–1996), where he later served as Secretary of the SRC, advocating for better student welfare.
Gifted in the sciences, he excelled in Biology and after his A-Levels undertook National Service as a Biology teacher at Benkum Senior High School. He graduated with a medical degree from the University of Ghana in 2006, including a clinical elective at Washington University School of Medicine. In 2018, he completed a Master’s in Health Policy, Planning and Financing at the London School of Economics and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
A lifelong student advocate, he was elected President of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) in 2002. He championed funding compliance under the GETFund Act and published GETFund: A NUGS President’s Account. He also served as Coordinating Secretary of the Federation of Ghana Medical Students Association.
During the May 9, 2001 stadium disaster, he volunteered in emergency response efforts. He later supported immunisation campaigns in the Asuogyaman District, demonstrating a deep commitment to saving lives long before entering public office.
He married Rita Adubea Offei, a Chartered Accountant and Development Finance professional, on 2 September 2006 — a date chosen to honour her birthday.
Their marriage was one grounded in partnership, faith and mutual support. They were blessed with three children: Akua, Ama and Yaw.
Following his housemanship at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Bob Freeman Clinic, and the 37 Military Hospital (2006–2008), he became President of the Junior Doctors Association.
Although he had begun postgraduate studies in Medical Physiology, he answered a national call to service in 2009 when he was appointed Deputy Minister of Environment, Science and Technology.
His medical background proved vital when he became Minister for Communications and Information during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, helping strengthen Ghana’s preparedness and public-health response.
Returning to practice in 2017 at Afrah International Hospital, he remained a compassionate and dedicated physician whose patients attest to the lives he touched.
His leadership journey grew through civic activism, including the Committee for Joint Action and the Free Tsatsu Movement.
President John Evans Atta Mills appointed him Deputy Minister of Environment, Science and Technology (2009–2012), where he helped implement the Mathematics, Science and Technology Scholarship Scheme benefitting over 41,000 students, led environmental contamination investigations, and championed a national tree-planting campaign. He later served as Deputy Youth and Sports Minister (2012–2013), coordinating Ghana’s participation in the 2013 AFCON.
As Minister for Communications from 2013, he drove the rollout of 4G LTE for security services, established CERT-GH, developed a Child Online Protection Framework, oversaw construction of Ghana’s first National Data Centre, and supervised the Eastern Corridor Fibre Backbone while advancing rapid mobile-network expansion.
He served concurrently as Presidential Spokesperson from 2014 to 2017. He represented Ghana at major international forums including the UNCSTD, UNFCCC COP negotiations, cybersecurity conferences, and the UN General Assembly.
His contributions on pandemic response planning and global health security were widely recognised. He was Policy Advisor and Political Strategist to President John Mahama in opposition (2017–2024). As Director of Elections and IT of the NDC in 2024, he introduced rigorous reforms such as examinations for polling agents, a detailed elections manual, and a strengthened collation system that positioned the party for electoral success.
Nominated in January 2025 as Minister for Defence, he earned unanimous parliamentary approval. In office, he prioritised troop welfare, exposed GHC 3.79 billion in concealed defence liabilities, promoted equitable recruitment, advanced a 12,000-person expansion of the Armed Forces, and secured significant EU-funded security support.
He led a firm and results-driven campaign against illegal mining, helping reclaim major forest reserves. He served on the National Security Council and chaired the Governing Board of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre
His publications include GETFund: A NUGS President’s Account; the Mahama-era policy book Accounting to the People, Changing Lives, Transforming Ghana; and an upcoming biography of President John Evans Atta Mills, completed shortly before his passing
On 6 August 2025, Dr. Omane Boamah died in a Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 helicopter crash near Adansi Akrofuom while en route to support anti-illegal mining efforts. The tragic loss of eight committed patriots shook the nation to its core.
He is remembered as a rare blend of excellence: physician, public servant, Catholic lay leader, environmental advocate, strategist, communicator, and family man. His example of integrity, sacrifice, and devotion to country continues to inspire. His legacy lives on in the institutions he strengthened, the policies he shaped, and the countless people he served with compassion and honour.
