One Year On: GAF Pays Tribute to Dr Omane Boamah with Memorial Lecture

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has held the first-ever annual memorial public lecture in honour of the late Defence Minister, Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, exactly one year after he tragically died in a military helicopter crash alongside seven other public officials.

The memorial event took place on Tuesday at Burma Camp in Accra to commemorate the lives lost in the August 6, 2025 tragedy at Adansi Akrofuom in the Ashanti Region while they were on an official national assignment.

The ceremony attracted several high-profile dignitaries, including Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, Chief of Staff Dr Julius Debrah, and Finance Minister and Acting Defence Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson. Also present were military service chiefs, family members, friends and old students of Pope John Senior High School and Junior Seminary, where the late minister was educated.

The lecture, chaired by Nana Dr Emmanuel Adu-Sarkodee, featured two keynote presentations focusing on leadership and national development.

Delivering the first lecture on “Selfless Leadership in Public Service: Lessons from the Life and Legacy of the Late Dr Omane Boamah,” Rev. Fr. Dr Ebenezer Akesseh described public service as a divine calling centred on serving humanity rather than pursuing personal gain.

He praised Dr Omane Boamah for exemplifying servant leadership through his medical profession and political career, saying he consistently placed the welfare of others above his own interests. He recounted an incident where the late minister stopped his journey to personally assist a distressed woman and ensured she received urgent medical attention, describing it as a clear reflection of compassionate leadership in action.

Rev. Fr. Akesseh also highlighted the late minister’s integrity, humility and accountability, noting that he earned public trust by remaining transparent, rejecting corruption and prioritising Ghana’s national interest over personal or political considerations.

The second lecture, titled “Accra Beyond the Floods: Rethinking Enforcement, Urban Planning and Community Resilience,” was delivered by Professor Kwasi Appeaning Addo.

Prof. Addo called for a comprehensive strategy to transform Accra into a climate-resilient city through stronger urban planning, disciplined enforcement, modern engineering and community participation.

He proposed integrating nature-based infrastructure, artificial intelligence-driven monitoring systems and community-led initiatives to address the capital’s recurring flood challenges.

The professor urged policymakers to enforce planning regulations without fear or favour, encouraged traditional authorities to protect wetlands and flood plains from illegal development, and called on civil society and the media to sustain public education on climate adaptation and environmental protection.

He also appealed to citizens to stop indiscriminate dumping of waste, volunteer in community disaster response efforts and report illegal developments that threaten public safety.

According to Prof. Addo, Ghana faces a critical choice between continued unplanned urban expansion with recurring disasters or embracing structural discipline, environmental sustainability and long-term resilience to secure the future of its capital.