The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has opened up on his personal relationship with the late former Minister of Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, who died in the horrific August 6, 2025, helicopter crash.

Speaking in a tribute video in honour of Omane Boamah, whose final funeral rites were held on December 14, 2025, Haruna Iddrisu disclosed that he was the person behind the former defence minister, who was said to be a member of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), joining the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

He indicated that he was the person who introduced him to Ato Ahwio, a leading figure of the NDC, who was then recruiting some talents for the party.

“I personally broke down for many reasons, because it was a personal loss. Indeed, I identified and recruited Dr Omane Boamah for Uncle Ato and the NDC. That's how personal my relationship with him was,” he said.

He added, “And indeed, it was through my recommendations that encouraged Mama Leticia [the mother], to return home from New York, United States, back to Ghana to support Dr Omane Boamah because of the promise he held – Deputy Minister, Minister and Ghana's Minister for Defence.”

The education minister asserted that Dr Omane’s sole political aim, when he was alive, was to make John Dramani Mahama, the president of Ghana, return to office and he contributed greatly to making this a reality.

“Dr Omane Boamah’s preoccupation was simply John Mahama’s success, nothing more. He was strategic. When he talks, heads turn, because he was strategic, and I'm sure he would be remembered for his monumental contribution to the return of John Dramani Mahama and the NDC as a party.”

Watch how heavy rainstorm halted the final funeral rites of Dr Omane Boamah

Ato Ahwoi, who also spoke in the tribute video, affirmed that Haruna Iddrisu introduced Dr Omane Boamah to him when he was tasked by the late former President, Prof John Evans Atta Mills, to recruit some bright talents for the NDC.

“The late Professor Fifi Atta Mills gave me an assignment of recruiting as many of the ex-NUGS presidents and ex-SRC presidents into the NDC. Upon undertaking that assignment, I first contacted Haruna Iddrisu, who introduced me to Omane Boamah, and said that he was his immediate successor. And therefore, if I wanted to talk to any of them, he (Omane Boamah) is the person,” he said.

The NDC stalwart went on to recall how he helped the late Dr Omane Boamah edit a book he (Omane) had rewritten.

“So I met Omane Boamah through Haruna Iddrisu. As we were having the discussions, he told me that he was writing a book on GetFund. He (Haruna) invited him (Omane) to my house and he came, and we edited the book,” he said.

About the crash:

The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, involving a Ghana Air Force Z-9 helicopter en route from Accra to Obuasi.

The aircraft reportedly went down in the Dampa Range Forest Reserve, near Sikaman in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region.

On board were five officials and three crew members attending the launch of the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP).

The five officials were: Dr Edward Omane Boamah, Minister of Defence; Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation; Dr Samuel Sarpong, Vice-Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC); Samuel Aboagye, former NDC parliamentary candidate for Obuasi East and NADMO Deputy Director-General; and Alhaji Muniru Limuna Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator.

The three Ghana Air Force crew members were: Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Malin Twum-Ampadu and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.

The victims were buried after a state funeral was held in their honour.

Watch the video below:

Hon Haruna Iddrisu 🗣️ I personally broke down for many reasons because it was a personal loss to me, indeed I densify and recruited Dr Omane Boamah for Uncle Ato and NDC.💔😢
NDC loss a fine brain 🧠 pic.twitter.com/V1ngwwnos0

— Mahama The President (@CitizenTechiman) December 13, 2025