Atta-Mills’ brother angry over upgrades to his tomb
Rival events held on 10th anniversary day
The family of the former President of Ghana, Prof John Evans Atta Mills, has stated that the Atta-Mills Institute (AMI) is neither sanctioned nor authorised by them.
According to the family, the institute, which is being run by the an ex aide of of the late president, Koku Anyidoho, does not represent the values of the late former president and it is being used as a tool to sow division.
The head of the Mills family and brother of the late president, Dr. Cadman Mills, who made these remarks at a public lecture to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Prof Mills, added that the resting place of his later brother the Asomdwee Park was refurbished only to promote and institute and its ‘pay masters.’
Dr. Mills, therefore, stated that the Mills family will be exploring all the legal means available to stop the activities of the AMI.
“Asomdwee Park and the work that was done there… I’m sorry (to say) is obscene to use a very strong word. I did not recognise Fiifi there… everything (about the Asomdwee Park) was about them (AMI and their paymasters).
"They used this so-called refurbishing to promote themselves, to promote their institute and to promote their paymasters. That is not what Fiifi stood for. Fiifi hated people who self-promote.
“Atta Mills institute is being used as an instrument to sow division, to sow controversy, for self-promotion.
“In my capacity as the oldest living sibling of Professor John Evans Atta Mills, as the person who Professor Mill designated in his Will to be the executor and also the custodian of his legacy and now in my capacity as the ‘Ebusuapayin’ (family head), the family has decided that we will contact our solicitors to make sure that they explore all avenues to stop the Atta-Mills institute,” he said.
For her part, the former First Lady of Ghana, Ernestina Naadu Mills, in a statement read on her behalf, said that beyond all the political vilifications John Atta Mills was battered with, he never lowered his high principles.
She explained that it is for this reason that she knows that posterity will be a good judge of his legacies.
“It has been 10 years of solitude since I lost Fiifi, my husband, friend and confidant. Ours was a rather quiet and private life until a higher national duty came calling.
"Then suddenly, we found ourselves in public limelight with its accompanying opportunities and challenges. Fiifi was often battered and bruised on the battlefield of politics but he held firm to his personal values of truth, simplicity, honesty and abiding respect for all; qualities I loved about him.
“To Fiifi, serving at the highest echelons of government was an opportunity to help change the character of Ghana politics for the better. In this regard, I believe posterity will judge him well. Therein lies my consolation for the many sacrifices he had to make,” she said.
The 10th anniversary celebration was observed officially by the state at a commissioning of a refurbished Asomdwee Park, the place his mortal remains were buried.
It was attended by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Bawumia as well as Koku Anyidoho, whose Non-Governmental Organization, the Atta Mills Institute, AMI, got government to undertake renovations at the Park.
John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress as well as the Atta-Mills family, held their own commemoration at the Park hours after that of the state had ended.
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