Former Minister of Education, Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, has paid a deeply moving tribute to the late Defence Minister, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, who tragically lost his life in the August 6 military helicopter crash.
In a tribute titled “From Tormentor to a Son – Fare Thee Well, Hon. Dr. Omane Boamah,” the veteran politician and academic recounted how their paths first crossed during the heated student agitations over tertiary education financing in the early 2000s.
At the time, Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi, serving under President John Agyekum Kufuor, was embroiled in fierce negotiations with uncompromising student leaders who strongly resisted the “cost-sharing” policy. Among the leaders at the forefront was a young Edward Omane Boamah, whom he described as “firm in his convictions and unwavering in his advocacy.”
He recalled how a massive student demonstration nearly overwhelmed the Ministry of Education until it was tactfully defused by then-Police Commander COP Kofi Boakye.
“Managing the situation was extremely challenging,” Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi reflected. “In the frontline was student Omane Boamah, resolute and fearless. On the other side stood the Committee of Vice-Chancellors, who strongly supported the policy.”
Despite the ideological clashes, their relationship blossomed in later years. After completing his medical training, Dr. Boamah became the family physician to Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi’s children, Nana Kufuor and Nana Darko, attending to them at their Cantonments home.
“Our relationship did not end when national political leadership changed hands in 2009. Ideological differences did not separate us,” he noted. “In my congratulatory messages to him as he traversed the political landscape, my word of advice was always: ‘Ghana first, and don’t forget where you have come from.’”
Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi praised Dr. Omane Boamah as not only a dedicated public servant and passionate politician but also a compassionate physician and a loyal friend whose humanity transcended party lines.
In a touching conclusion, he wrote simply:
“My son, Fare thee well.”
