A Level 400 medical student at the University for Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale, Sulemana Wakila, has painfully recounted how she had anticipated the presence of the late Dr. Alhaji Murtala Mohammed at her graduation.

Wakila, who is among 47 medical students the late Minister and Member of Parliament for Tamale Central had offered scholarships to in order to complete their studies, said that the late MP played a fatherly role in their lives, treating them like his biological children.

According to her, Dr. Murtala had assured them that he would support them whenever the need arose, a promise he kept until his untimely passing.

Wakila shared this in an interview with Joy Prime’s Roselyn Felli on Changes, as she fondly recalled how she first crossed paths with the late MP.

“A neighbour heard the news of him saying that he was going to support all the medical students in his constituency. So he scheduled a date to meet all of us. At that time, we had already paid our fees and had admission.

"The first time he paid, it was actually a refund, and he promised that he was going to continually support us every year. He made it known to us that aside from the fees, he would help us with our personal needs if we communicated with him.

"So for us, he was like a father figure, a mentor and was available for us. There’s no way you would call or text, and he would see without returning it. There’s no way you can tell him something he could solve, and he would leave it unattended.

"We were positive that he was going to help us till the end. He made statements like he was going to support us till the very end, and sometimes I would be just so happy that on my graduation day I’m going to be the envy of everyone because I knew very well that if I was to graduate and I called, he was going to honour,” Wakila shared.

The news of the late minister’s demise came as a heavy blow and has left her shattered, but she remains solemn and confident that he is in a better place.

The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has promised to take over the responsibility of covering their fees, but Wakila believes it will never be the same as the care and support they received from Dr. Murtala.

“I know that the honourable has said he’s going to take the responsibility of paying our fees, but I know that it can never be the same again. We’ve lost someone that we actually had hopes in.

The MP, Dr. Alhaji Murtala Ibrahim Mohammed, who also served as the Minister for Environment, Science, and Technology, was among those who tragically lost their lives in the recent Z-9 military helicopter crash that occurred at Adansi in the Ashanti Region.

The incident also claimed the lives of several other high-profile individuals, including the Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah; Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator; Samuel Aboagye, former NDC Parliamentary Candidate for Obuasi East and Deputy NADMO Director; and Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the NDC and former Kumasi Mayor.

Additionally, three crew members perished in the crash: Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Mane-Twum Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.