Today marks exactly 8 years when the entire nation was thrown into a state of mourning as, for the first time a sitting president of the Republic of Ghana, President John Evans Atta Mills passed on.
As Ghanaians continue to commemorate the Former Statesman, some workers at NewTown, a suburb of Accra shared their fondest memories of the late president on GhanaWeb’s Trending GH.
According to Alhaji, a resident of the area, Atta Mills left the legacy of peace, and that legacy will live with Ghanaians forever.
“He preached about peace, he talked about the importance of peace and unity. In Ghana, we are all one people, we do not discriminate; whether you are an Ewe, a Ga, or an Ashanti. For someone who brings people from different background together, if he is no more, he will still be remembered. Tribalism will not help Ghana. For a country to prosper, tribalism should be ruled out,” he said.
Peter, a shoe seller also added that late president, Atta Mills, promoted the importance of forgiveness as he exhibited it in his personal life, and life as a leader.
“What I remember about him is that he was a person who easily forgave others. In spite of all the criticisms he got while he was alive, he made us realize that everyone makes mistakes and can be forgiven. Another thing I remember about him was when he used to say, “My brothers and sisters”. He was a forgiving person,” he stated.
To Fuseini, Beatrice, and John, Atta Mills’ calm and welcoming manner was a trait worth emulating, and for that reason, he was loved by many.
“Atta Mills was a president who was loved my many. Death came to take away a president we really loved. God called him. What I really remembered about him was when Mahama went to sign a deal he did not approve of, to buy a plane for the country. I was not happy about that,” Fuseini said.
“The man is so valuable to us, we will never get someone of his caliber. One thing I remember about him was the respect he had for people, and his humility. We will never get a president like him. May he rest in peace,” Beatrice stated.
“Atta Mills has helped Ghana. He was a calm person, but death has taken him away from us. May God keep his soul, He has done a lot for the country,” John concluded.
Two different events have been held at the Asomdwe Park in Accra to commemorate the 8th anniversary of the late president.
