Accra: To colleagues and friends, Alhaji Limuna Muniru was more than a public servant, he was a technocrat, peacemaker, and a man who used power for the public good.
According to Ghana News Agency, with over two decades in public administration and four years in ministerial leadership, Alhaji Muniru left a legacy of dedication to governance, conflict resolution, and inclusive development. His passing has been described as a national loss, with calls to honour his memory through purposeful action.
'He was a fine gentleman, a technocrat, and a considerate person. We liked each other instantly. Later, as ministers, we often shared ideas and encouraged each other,' said Dr Michael Abu Sakara Foster, agronomist and politician, in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency.
Alhaji Muniru began his public service at the Ministry of Works and Housing and later at the Ministry of Health, rising through roles such as Assistant Director of Administration, NHIS Desk Officer, and Project Coordinator at the National Health Insurance Authority. In 2010, he became Administrator and Health Policy Adviser at the Office of the Minister of Health, preparing policy briefs and coordinating ministerial activities.
His ministerial career began in 2013 as Minister of State in Charge of Scholarships and Human Resource Development, where he developed a national HR policy and harmonised training institutions. Alhaji Muniru later served as Upper East Regional Minister, resolving a long-standing chieftaincy dispute in the Builsa area and maintaining peace in Bawku. From 2014 to 2016, as Northern Regional Minister, he chaired the Regional Security Council and mediated the end of a 30-year ethnic conflict between the Bimoba and Konkomba communities, while advancing peace in Dagbon.
As Minister for Food and Agriculture in 2016, he led reforms, distributed subsidised fertilisers, facilitated mechanisation under a Brazilian credit facility, and introduced the Ghana Incentive-Based Risk-Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (GIRSAL).
Dr Sakara described him as 'diligent, accommodating, and considerate. He would always see things from your perspective, sometimes to his own disadvantage. He was fair and played by the rules to a fault-a rare quality.' Peggy Ama Donkor of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation recalled his tenure as Regional Minister, noting his vision for inclusive development and transformative projects in infrastructure, healthcare, and governance.
'In his tenure as Minister of Food and Agriculture, Alhaji Muniru laboured to awaken Ghana's potential as a food-secure nation. His dream was not just crops, but livelihoods. Not just policies, but people empowered,' she said. Beyond politics, Alhaji Muniru was known for his quiet strength, humility, and unshakable faith.
He was respected across the political divide and honoured as Sandapewura, Chief of Staff to the Damongo Traditional Council, a title reflecting trust and service. His death in active service as Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator is both tragic and telling. Even in his final hours, he carried the burden of national peace, said Ms. Donkor.
