The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Professor Ransford Gyampo, has paid a deeply personal and emotional tribute to the late Defence Minister, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, who tragically died in the recent military helicopter crash.

Speaking to JoyNews' Maxwell Agbagba on Thursday, August 7, Prof Gyampo recounted a life-altering experience with Dr Boamah, whom he described not only as a respected public servant but also as a man of great compassion and dedication in his previous profession as a medical doctor.

“I have had a long-standing relationship with him,” Prof Gyampo said. “He is a personal medical doctor to one of my children that I thought was going to die.”

He recalled how, 18 years ago, his son had fallen seriously ill just six months after birth. While invigilating an exam at the University of Ghana, he received an urgent call that his baby had been rushed to the 37 Military Hospital.

Upon arriving, he was met by Dr Omane Boamah, who was then practising as a medical doctor.

“He assured me that so long as God lives, so long as he remains a professional doctor, the boy will live,” Gyampo said. “Today, the boy is 18 years old.”

Prof Gyampo shared that he has made it a tradition to send Dr Boamah a photo of his son each year on his birthday.

“I take a picture, send it to him telling him that this is your son. This June, I sent him a picture, and we were laughing about it. He would tell me the boy has a bright future.”

Prof Gyampo also revealed that Dr Boamah played a significant role in his decision to accept an offer to serve in the current government.

“He was one of the reasons why I accepted the offer. Anytime there was a programme, he would call me,” he recounted.

Dr Edward Omane Boamah was one of eight people who lost their lives in the Sikaman helicopter crash, including Environment Minister Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, NDC Vice Chairman Dr Samuel Sarpong, and three military officers.