Friday, 13th February, 2026
Hon Seidu Mahama Alidu
Tamale Central
Mr Speaker, thank you so much for the opportunity.
Mr Speaker, it is with a deep sense of sorrow that I wish to pay tribute to the late Hon Dr Muhammed Murtala Ibrahim, the former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central. Mr Speaker, there are men whose lives remind us that the true measure of existence is not found in years, but in usefulness. Hon Dr Muhammed Murtala Ibrahim was one of those rare souls who understood that time is not to be counted, but to be consecrated. He lived not only by the ticking of the clock, but by the beating of the human heart. His legacy teaches us that life’s greatest success is not how long we live, but how deeply we touch others. That the immortality of a good man lies not in monuments, but in memories. Not in wealth, but in worth.
Mr Speaker, he was born on 14th December, 1974 in Tamale, a child of modest beginnings, destined for an extraordinary purpose. From the dusty corridors of St. Peter’s Primary and Ghana Senior High Secondary School to the noble lecture halls of the University of Ghana, his journey was one of brilliance, built on discipline and grace. Yet, beyond the pursuit of knowledge stood his anchored faith. He was a staunch Muslim, deeply rooted in the deen, whose every decision was guided by the Qu’ran and shaped by humility before Allah. His life was a living reminder that intellect without faith is arrogance, and service without spirituality is emptiness. He prayed not only with his lips, but with his deeds. He led not only with vision, but with values. To know him was to see how faith and intellect, when intertwined, can produce a man who serves both God and humanity with equal devotion.
Mr Speaker, from his youthful days as General Secretary of the All African Students’ Union, Hon Dr Muhammed Murtala Ibrahim defined leadership not as domination, but as a discipline of service. He believed that power finds its true purpose only when it uplifts others, and he lived that belief with uncommon conviction.
Mr Speaker, when the people of Nanton and later Tamale Central entrusted him with their mandate, he carried it not as a title, but as a sacred trust. He built schools, funded scholarships, introduced free Basic Education Certificate Examination (B. E. C. E.) classes, and launched a mobile library that brought knowledge to theforgotten. He provided clean water through over 50 mechanised boreholes, built clinics in Changli, Sakasaka, and Gumbihini, improved roads, and gave the youth of Kulikuli School an AstroTurf to dream upon. His work was not just development, it was devotion.
Mr Speaker, in Parliament, he was both a scholar and a soldier, brilliant in argument, fearless in principle, and deeply moral in persuasion. As Deputy Minister for Information, and later for Trade and Industry, he brought clarity, vision, and integrity to the governance process. And as Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, he stood at the frontiers of Ghana’s modern transformation, championing sustainability, digital advancement, and the balance between progress and planet.
Mr Speaker, then came that sacred and shattering moment when heaven, in its wisdom, proclaimed the light it had loaned to earth. The news did not come as thunder; it came as silence, a silence that screamed. The air grew heavy, time stood still, and a great stillness fell upon Ghana. Dagbon mourned, and Tamale bowed his head in grief. For in that moment, we did not just lose a man, we lost a conscience, a guide, a flame that had lit the path for so many in darkness.
Mr Speaker, as I stand here today, honoured to serve where he once stood, I am reminded that to succeed him is not to replace him, it is to continue his mission. He did not pass down a seat; he passed down a standard. His example challenges us to serve with integrity, to lead with empathy, and to govern with the heart. Hon Dr Muhammed Murtala Ibrahim was not just a public servant; he was a moral statement. May Allah (SAWT), the most merciful, grant him mercy and Jannatul Firdaus. And may generations yet unborn speak your name, not with sorrow, but with gratitude.
Thank you so much, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity.
Hon Kofi Iddie Adams
Buem
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to make a few comments on the tribute ably read by Prof Alidu.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to make a few comments on the tribute ably read by Prof Seidu Alidu, Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, in memory of late former Colleague, Dr Murtala Muhammed Ibrahim. As a young politician myself, we spotted Dr Murtala Muhammed Ibrahim as a young student leader. He caught our attention and we realised he had so much to offer this country. We approached him, and in his days in the university he did so much to create the necessary awareness. Then fate had it and we all met in Parliament, and we were on the same Committee, Public Accounts Committee.
Dr Muhammed Murtala Ibrahim would bring every energy that was needed to the Committee when even we were tired. This is a Committee that reviewed a lot of documents, and in that work, Dr Murtala presented himself in playing that critical oversight role that even information that may not be directly available in reports before us, he had a way of getting such information and bringing it to help the work of the Committee. In our travels to the regions, one would find us together at one point after a tiring day, sharing jokes and talking about the future, the future at that point, we all did not know that I would be standing here today talking about him being no more.
Mr Speaker, he played his role in terms of representing his people, and in one area that our people have come to understand that it is become part and parcel of our responsibility even though not clearly captured in the Constitution about development, Dr Murtala understood that, as MP he needed to play that role. He will go everywhere, low and high, looking for development opportunities for his people, and that explains why within a very short time, we could see a number of development projects, and that, the weekend when the unfortunate incident happened, he was supposed to be inaugurating the commencement of a health project. It tells us how dedicated he was to his duty.
When it comes to law making which is another key role of Parliament, when he was on his feet contributing to the process, one would think that he was actually a lawyer. He truly understood the processes and one clear thing about Dr Murtala, he spoke as if he was so angry and that he had something against someone. But immediately he was done making that statement, the next moment he had forgotten about it. That was who he was, that he did not carry anger beyond the time that most persons would do.
We have truly lost a comrade who called everybody a comrade, even our Hon Colleagues on the other Side who refused to be described as such, he will force it on them that they are comrades beyond the separation, beyond being in another Party we see ourselves as comrades. We have lost him but, Mr Speaker, it tells us one thing that, that is the only day none of us here know when it will come and it is therefore very necessary to prepare for that day and ask ourselves that when we are called what will be said of us. I pray that the Almighty Allah will forgive him any inequities, anything he may have done untoward, and make his resting place a calm one for him.
Thank you Mr Speaker for the opportunity, and also, the Member who took over after him for making this Statement.
Hon Samuel Abdulai Jinapor
Damongo
Thank you, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, I rise to contribute to the brilliant Statement made by my Friend, the Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, in memory of my Friend and Brother, the Hon Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed.
Mr Speaker let me put on record that Dr Murtala Ibrahim was not only a Friend, but he was also a brother because as you may know, part of his lineage comes from Daboya in the Savannah Region of Ghana and he spoke impeccable Gonja, and it was of great joy whenever we met and took ourselves into the traditions of Gonja land and Savannah Region.
Mr Speaker we all know that Dr Murtala Muhammed was an intellect and academic par excellence. He loved the book and indeed until his untimely death he had piled a good deal of certificates, qualifications and scholarship in academia. He also served his constituents well and diligently and he held his corner very strongly. He was such a strong defender of the National Democratic Congress but with all that, he still made very good friends across the Divide. Although he and I had had our banters and political engagements over the years, that never disturbed our friendship and brotherhood. That goes to testify to Dr Murtala’s nature and respect for humanity and the need for us to engage in politics without animosity.
Mr Speaker, I had the privilege and opportunity to engage him even within that short period that he served as Minister for Environment, Science and Technology. As you know, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Environment Science and Technology work closely. Even before he was sworn in, we had several engagements particularly, as it related to climate change and Ghana’s leadership in the climate stage. He had such brilliant ideas and a lot of promise and plans for the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, some of which he actually began implementing as Minister.
Mr Speaker, let me conclude by thanking his successor, the Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Prof Seidu Mahama Alidu, for making this timely and impressive Statement in honour of Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, and also say that his gentle soul continue to rest in perfect peace.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
Hon Fred Kwesi Agbenyo
Guan
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker for the opportunity to contribute to the Statement made by the Member for Tamale Central.
Mr Speaker, I met the late Hon Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed at the University of Ghana, Legon, where we were all students. When I met Hon Dr Murtala the first time, his sense of humour, the humanity in him. He is one person you always want to be with; his understanding of issues especially, when it comes to the history of this country. He would debate anybody, especially when it comes to the issue of Dr Kwame Nkrumah and his achievements, and the work that he did throughout this country. Dr Murtala was seen debating anybody who tend to oppose Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Mr Speaker, when we left University of Ghana and the NDC won elections in 2008, Hon Dr Murtala was appointed to Youth Employment Authority. He served diligently, to the best of his ability. Issues about youth empowerment were very dear to his heart. Whenever we met him, he would have conversations on how we could empower young people across the country. He was later moved to the Ministry of Information. And then, Mr Speaker, he left one constituency for Tamale Central after losing the election and still won. And anybody who has visited Tamale Central ever since will attest to the fact that this was a man who was committed to his work. The development that he brought to the area is there for all to see.
Mr Speaker, the day before Dr Murtala’s passing, we met in this same Chamber, and I agreed to meet the following day for a conversation, not knowing that that was the last time I was interacting with him. When the news came, it was so heartbreaking. Nobody would expect that thing to happen. But as the good book said, in all things, we should give thanks to God. He served his country well. He served our party well. He served his constituency well. We can only pray that Allah Himself forgive him of all his sins and give him rest wherever he is. We will continue to miss him. We will continue to hold fast to his ideas, philosophy, and beliefs. Dr Murtala was close to corruption. He will fight it to the very end, and I believe that if all of us politicians can dedicate ourselves to that, this country will go far.
Once again, Mr Speaker, let me thank you very much for the opportunity, and also thank the maker of the Statement.
Hon Nurideen Muhammed Mumuni
Nalerigu/Gambaga
Mr Speaker, thank you very much for this opportunity to comment on the Statement made by the MP for Tamale Central.
Mr Speaker, Hon Murtala was a source of inspiration and motivation to a lot of young people in this country, especially in Tamale Central and the entire northern part of the country. He was a true Muslim, deeply rooted in the deen of Islam, and he had a commanding understanding of Islamic teachings. I think what Hon Murtala needs now is our prayers. May the Almighty Allah have mercy on his soul, wherever he is.
Mr Speaker, today being Friday, I want to use this opportunity to call on my Colleague Muslims in this Chamber to recite Qul huwal laahu ahad for Hon Murtala and all our departed souls. Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem, Allah Hus-samad, Lam yalid wa lam yoolad, Wa lam yakul-lahoo kufuwan ahad. This is what I think Hon Murtala needs right now.
Mr Speaker, to wit, may the soul of Hon Murtala rest in peace. Thank you very much.
Hon Habib Iddrisu
Tolon
Mr Speaker, we in this Parliament have lost a Brother, an Hon Colleague, and a Minister. I was very close to Hon Murtala. He was a father and a teacher, and everyone knew him in the Northern Region.
Mr Speaker, just going through the Statement, and when his successor, Prof Alidu, addressed him as Dr Muhammed Murtala Ibrahim, I realised what he told me some time ago. He always told me not to address him as Dr Muhammed Murtala, but rather as Alhaji Murtala. Because when he dies, his PhD will be gone. But he will die with the title “Alhaji”. Sometime in 2024, he came to my office, and he told me, “Hon Habib, I have sent over 100 people to Hajj, but do you know that I have never been to Hajj myself? When I was a Deputy Minister and a CEO, I always assisted my constituents and people in need by supporting their pilgrimage to Hajj. I do not know when I will die. I want to perform the Hajj with my wife.” I was then a member of the Ghana Hajj Board. I told him it was a good idea. Then he said, “I want to do it with my wife.” So, my wife and I, and he and his wife, all performed the Hajj together.
In fact, we were in one room. Mr Speaker, Hon Murtala performed the Hajj with his beautiful wife, and I performed the Hajj with my beautiful wife, Hajia Asma Osalifu. Mr Speaker, when we performed the Hajj, I remember that at one point I told him we should take a bus, as we were supposed to walk about 13 kilometres on foot with his wife. He then told me this is a religious exercise. The Holy Prophet did it. We can do it. He, I, and others walked more than 23 kilometres on foot from Muzdalifah to Jamarat and then to the Haram. We walked back from Haram to Mina on that day.
Mr Speaker, a year later, he returned to my office during Ramadan and said, “I want to perform the last 10 days of Ramadan in Makkah, doing Umrah.” And I asked him, but we just returned from Hajj last year. He told me that if one performs Umrah during the last 10 days of Ramadan, it is as if one has performed Hajj alongside the Holy Prophet. So we should go. The Rt Hon Speaker, Alban Bagbin, made an initiative to the Muslim Caucus to help us perform Umrah. He and I performed Umrah during Ramadan last year. He was supposed to go to Paris for a conference and join me in Mecca. He asked me to book a room for him because he was not sure whether he would live to see another year. And this is something he wanted to do. I went to Umrah again with my wife. He later joined us.
Mr Speaker, that is the end of the story. A story that ended in a very painful death, which I am happy with. I am a Muslim, and knowing Alhaji Murtala and how he died, I am very happy he died that way because it is stated in our religion, and it is our belief that if one dies in a painful situational death, any punishment that God is supposed to give them, that is the punishment, and they go straight to Jannah. That means that they will be in Paradise. I am very convinced that today Alhaji Murtala is in Paradise as we try to either eulogise him or speak about this painful and tragic death that we see in this country.
I was happy that when my Colleague, Hon Mumuni, was reciting verses of the Quran, the verse he recited was in response to the oneness of Allah when the Holy Prophet was confronted and asked about who his God was. So when he said Qul huwal laahu ahad, it was a command, “Say: He is Allah, the One and Only”. And he went on to say my Lord is self-sufficient, Lam yalid wa lam yoolad, He begetteth not, nor is He begotten. And there was nothing compared to God. That is how I would describe Hon Murtala. I think that as Colleagues, we should love each other because life is very short.
Yesterday, I was in a meeting with the Majority Leader at the Business Committee when we heard that two of our Colleagues were involved in an accident: The Minister for Education and the Deputy Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations. Death can come at any time, in a second, in a minute. Last night, my Colleague, Hon Jerry Ahmed Shaib, and I were at 37 Military Hospital to visit the Minister for Education and the Hon Deputy Minister. Anything can happen to us. In this Chamber, we do politics, but let us have a clean heart. Whatever we say in this Chamber should not follow us out, because we would never know when one would die, and we should not harbour things.
Mr Speaker, sometimes I say certain things in this Chamber, and anybody who knows me very well, knows I do not take the matter of another to bed. No, I do not have that space in my heart. Whatever I say here, I make sure that I leave it here, because I might not even sleep and wake up. So, as we eulogise him, I will call on Colleagues that when we are here, the 276 of us, we are family; we are one. That day, we never knew that we were going to lose one of our Colleagues. I will urge us that we should love each other. It is in the Bible and in the Qu’ran.
I thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity.
Hon Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor
South Dayi
Mr Speaker, I am seizing the opportunity to add my voice to the Statement commemorating the departure of Our brave Brother, and we are eulogising him, I should say.
Mr Speaker, everyone in this Chamber knows of the relationship that he and I had. For that weekend, we had agreed that we would travel to Tamale for him to continue with his community engagements. Usually, any time we go to Tamale, he had an accommodation ready for me. We would normally do the rounds early in the morning and in the evening, and then in the afternoons, we do other rounds.
Mr Speaker, Hon Murtala was a formidable voice on this Floor and outside of it. He had strong convictions about his views and positions on matters. Normally for, but on occasions that he is against a person, then trouble for the person. He was such a passionate Member of Parliament. He had had such an impact in Tamale Central and I should say, within the Tamale Metropolis. Because of him, I am quite popular in Tamale, because within the past eight years, we have been very close, especially because we bonded well on the Public Accounts Committee, where we worked closely. He became a friend, a brother, and a confidant.
Often, we would get together and talk about our futures. It is painful we had to lose him. So much so that he just evaporated. He was not sick. Murtala just vanished. There are several persons on this Floor who, for the sheer relationship they had, they are not even able to speak. We pray that the Lord forgives his transgressions and receives him in heaven. I am concerned about his son, a very lovely boy. I believe that he will grow to take after his father, in character, public appeal and also become a very formidable national figure, whether in politics or in academia.
I remember that when we lost Hon Kumi, and a Statement was brought for us to eulogise him, Murtala had come in, he called me and said that I should wait because he wanted to add his voice. So, he was here. If I recall, I think the Hon Second Deputy Speaker was in the Chair, and we had agreed on numbers. He came to me and said, “if you do not, we will beat you outside”. I mean, that was the kind of person he was. Then he had the opportunity, and he spoke eloquently and fondly about who Hon Kumi was. Even though Hon Kumi had not spent too much time on this Floor, but he spoke passionately about his work. He quoted the Quran copiously that day. That all of us could sleep and not wake up. And so, again, he spoke to us about loving one another.
As Hon Habib Iddrisu said, we may do things on the Floor, but at all material times, we must let love be the determinant so that we do not hurt each other too much because persons have been here, and they have left. We, too, will leave someday. But the memories and the fellow feeling that we shared are what others will remember. So, Mr Speaker, we should love one another. Hon Murtala was a Member of Parliament. I remember our days on the other Side — the Hon Member of Kpandai knows I love him. He knows the things we did were on principle. So, that is by the way.
I remember our days on the other Side when Hon Muntaka put us into some formidable group of seven. Occasionally, we will be nine. But I, Hon Murtala, Hon Yusif, Hon Sam George, Hon Suhuyini, Hon Edward Bawa, Hon Ernest Norgbey, Hon Jinapor, and the arrowhead was Hon Isaac Adongo. We did things that politics permitted us to do. We became formidable on the Floor, and occasionally, when we had to do those things, during Consideration, Mr Speaker, you joined us and led the process. So, he left such an indelible mark on this Floor. So, we can only emulate the work, the passion, and the commitment that he demonstrated to the parliamentary work. I cannot say much. I can only wish his young family the best and — I am in Leadership so I would not say “urge Leadership” but rather, maybe with the support of Leader, we may have to think of putting some structure together so that occasionally, the Hon Leader mooted the idea, I believe we have to go back to it and occasionally, reach out to his family.
Mr Speaker, it is very necessary because of the nature of his departure. If I may clarify, preparations were not done. So, it will become our duty to reach out to the family every now and then to let the widow and the children know that we are here to support them anytime they need us. Mr Speaker, with these words, I want to thank Professor Alidu for doing this. It delayed, but today, we are doing it. So, I thank you for the opportunity and to urge the entire Tamale Central and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) executives, they know me very well. They should support Professor Alidu to continue the work that Honourable Alhaji Murtala Muhammed was doing for them.
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity.
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