The curtain on a life admired by many but cut short by tragedy will be lowered in Koforidua on Saturday and Sunday when the family of Dr Edward Omane Boamah holds the final funeral rites and a thanksgiving Mass for the late Minister of Defence.
As one of the eight victims of the August 6 helicopter crash that occurred near Obuasi in the Ashanti Region, the remains of the then minister have long been interred since August 15, 2025 following a state funeral.
This weekend, however, the family seeks to finally lower the curtain on a brilliant life that shone brightly across his 49 years on earth, the last six months of it spent in service of the state as Minister of Defence.
From Saturday’s funeral rites, scheduled to start at 12 noon, to a thanksgiving Mass at St George Catholic Cathedral at 9 a.m. on Sunday, and then the final funeral rites at Jackson Park from 12 noon after the thankgiving Mass, the Eastern Regional capital will also celebrate a man who brought honour to himself and his people.
As the presidency, ministers of state, Members of Parliament, party faithful, politicians, schoolmates, Catholic faithful, other identifiable groups and the public join the family to mourn the former minister one last time, tears and pain may give way to a closure that has become necessary.
This was a life that reflected humanity, evidenced in his often-touted generosity, volunteerism, comradeship and intellectual astuteness.
Dignified humanity
Dr Omane Boamah was the only son of a surviving, aged mother and a father who had passed away earlier.
He grew up in Koforidua and was educated at Pope John’s Senior High School and Minor Seminary in the Eastern Regional capital.
He had studied medicine, but his knowledge and competences in many areas endeared him to many.
In his previous stint in government, he served at the ministries of Communication; Youth and Sports; and Environment, Science and Technology, while his party, the National Democratic Congress, deployed him as Director of Information Technology (IT) and Elections for the 2024 general election.
In his party role, he proved a handful for the Electoral Commission (EC) in particular, contesting the processes and figures supposedly shrouded in doubt during Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) forums or directly with the EC.
Many credit him with the NDC’s now formidable election collation system and the soft safeguards that delivered victory in the 2024 elections.
Dr Omane Boamah stepped into his last office with his usual calm disposition, promising to elevate the Ministry of Defence into a modern institution driven by sophistication, intelligence, innovation and motivated staff.
Tributes, etc.
On Saturday and Sunday, Koforidua will pay its last respects with tributes, hymns and prayers to the illustrious son of the land.
The funeral will be the last of such traditional rites for the eight who suffered the air tragedy in August.
The families of the other seven who died in the crash have held separate funerals for them already, after the state funeral.
All eight were buried at the Military Cemetery in Accra.
Dr Omane-Boamah is survived by the widow, Rita Omane-Boamah, and three children — Akua Anima Omane-Boamah, Ama Oforiwaa Omane-Boamah and Yaw Obeng Omane-Boamah.
