“Today Should Have Been Loud” — Ghana Medical Trust Fund Administrator Reflects on Painful Milestone

The Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Obuobia Darko-Opoku, has paid a moving tribute to the late Minister of Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, describing the occasion of what would have been his 50th birthday as painful, quiet, and deeply unfair.

In an emotional Facebook post shared on Boxing Day, Obuobia said the day, which should have been filled with celebration and gratitude, was instead overshadowed by grief and reflection following his untimely death earlier this year.

“Today should have been loud. Fifty years old. Fifty reasons to pause and say thank you for your life. Instead, today is quiet and heavy,” she wrote.

A Birthday Marked by Absence

Reflecting on the loss, Obuobia noted that August — the month of Dr Omane Boamah’s passing — still feels painfully close.

“August still feels too close. Too unfair, too final. Yet here we are, marking a birthday for someone we should still be calling, laughing with, arguing with and planning the future with,” she stated.

She described turning 50 as a milestone that should have symbolised a victory lap — a moment to acknowledge a life lived with purpose, courage, and conviction.

A Life That Left Gaps, Not Just Memories

According to Obuobia, the absence of the late Defence Minister is deeply felt in everyday moments and unfinished conversations.

“Your absence is loud. It shows up in the conversations that stop halfway, in the moments when your voice should have weighed in, in the spaces you once filled so effortlessly,” she wrote.

She added that while Dr Omane Boamah left behind cherished memories, he also left gaps that cannot be filled.

“Yet even in this loss, your life refuses to be silent,” she noted.

Tribute to a Life of Conviction and Love

Obuobia praised the late minister for living boldly, standing firmly for causes greater than himself, and loving people deeply, even at personal cost.

She said the grief surrounding his 50th birthday also reflects sorrow for the future that never came — the wisdom, impact, and contributions he would have continued to make.

“Today hurts because fifty meant more time. More wisdom, more impact, more of you,” she said.

A Painful Milestone Remembered in Love

Despite the pain, Obuobia said the milestone was honoured through remembrance rather than celebration.

“Still, on this painful milestone, we honour you. Not with cake or music, but with remembrance soaked in love and tears we don’t apologise for,” she wrote.

She concluded her tribute with a heartfelt message:

“Happy 50th Birthday, Omane Boamah. You were deeply loved, you are fiercely missed and you will never, ever be forgotten.”

Tragic Passing

Dr Edward Omane Boamah died on August 6, 2025, when a Ghana Air Force Harbin Z-9 helicopter carrying eight people crashed into a forested mountainside at Sikaman, in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region.

His death sent shockwaves across the country, with tributes continuing to pour in from political leaders, colleagues, and citizens who remember him for his service, integrity, and commitment to Ghana.