A former executive of the Tema Constituency branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has eulogized late former President John Evans Atta Mills for what he say is a kindness, humility and visionary leadership.
On the occasion of the eleventh anniversary of the Professor’s passing, they have fondly remembered him as a kind and gentle soul.
“Professor Mills was a caring president,” said Mr. Stephen Ashitey Adjei, leader of the group.
Mr. Ashitey Adjei, popularly known as Moshake, said this on the sidelines of the wreath-laying ceremony that was held to mark the 11th anniversary of the death of the ‘Asomdwee hene.’
“Of the lineage of presidents that have dealt with our issue, he was the only one who granted us full audience and topped it with a fiat that instructed the Ministry of Transport to pay us the severance benefits due us,” Moshake said adding that, “the man really cared about the plight of the people he was governing, more than any president I have known.”
“Professor Mills was the exact opposite of Kufuor; he received and read our petitions to him,” Moshake said.
In early July 2012, the leader of the ex-workers of GPHA petitioned President Mills about the injustice done them, detailing the toll it has had on their finances, their health and sanity.
President Mills was informed of the fact that some of the ex-workers had become homeless, sick and bedridden while others had died from melancholy.
Professor Mills, in response, issued a fiat directing the Ministry of Transport to resolve the issue and pay the ex-workers what is due them.
“Unfortunately, just about two weeks after he issued the fiat, President Mills suddenly died in office,” Moshake laments.
The sudden passing of Mills naturally left the ex-workers issue to then Vice President John Mahama, who later became president. However, unlike Mills, Mahama never replied even a single letter from the ex-workers let alone see through the execution of the fiat that Mills issued.
“We are eternally grateful to Professor Mills because even though his death robbed us of justice, I can tell you that most of us still find courage to pursue our money because of the fiat that he issued for us to be paid. Otherwise, none of us would probably have the will to go on,” Moshake said.
He added, “And wherever he is, we want him to know that we will never stop until the injustice that he set out to correct is corrected. We will continue to fight until our money is paid us,” Moshake said.
High profile personalities in attendance include the hardworking and brilliant Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Former President John Mahama, National Chairman of NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia and some government officials.
Source: ghanaweb.com / Richard Asamoah, Contributor
