THE National Chairman of the National Demo­cratic Congress (NDC), Mr John­son Asiedu Nketia, has described the late Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed as a fantastic person in all aspects of life.

He said he was an all-round intellectual, both in letters and in religion.

The National Chairman made the statement here in Tamale at the Third Day Funeral Rites (Aduwa) of the late Dr Murtala Mohammed.

Dr Ibrahim Murtala Moham­med, who was the MP for Tamale Central and Minister for Envi­ronment Science and Technology, perished alongside seven other government officials when the military helicopter in which they were travelling, crashed in the Adansi area of the Ashanti Region last Wednesday.

Mr Nketia said it was a spectacle to listen to Dr Murtala Moham­med speak because he would hold his audience spellbound.

“When you see Murtala Mohammed speak on the floor of Parliament, at a rally or even at an international forum, you will be proud to be associated with him,” he stated.

He urged people to pray for the repose of the souls lost in the tragedy, instead of engaging in speculations as to the cause of the incident.

“But for me, I believe, as a Christian, and I believe that it is so with the Muslims, that nothing happens on the blind side of Allah.” he said.

The National Chairman prevailed upon members of the party (NDC) not to let the tragedy break them down but rather unite them to double their resolve to reset this country for a better tomorrow.

“Let us increase our resolve to fight the ills in society and let us increase our resolve to build a better agenda because whatever happens, each of them will die one day,” he stated.

He said it was good to die for a good cause, adding that the late Dr Murtala Mohammed lived, fought and died for a good cause and left behind a proud legacy.

Mr Nketia commended the NPP for taking the bold decision not to contest the Tamale Central Parliamentary seat, stressing that “this was a form of solidarity between the party (NPP) and the people of Tamale and the country at large.”

The Aduwa was attended by Ministers of State, MPs, MMD­CES, Regional Ministers and other Diplomats across the country.