Atta Mills didn’t need millions of dollars in house to survive – Mahama

Former President John Dramani Mahama has said that his former boss, the late Professor John Evans Atta Mills was modest.

He described the late President as a man of integrity, an attribute he said many will vouch for him.

“Atta Mills was a man of integrity, and all of us can vouch for his integrity, he was a modest man and didn’t need millions of dollars in his house to survive,” Mr. Mahama said while speaking at the commemorative lecture for the late Prof Mills held in Kumasi on Thursday, July 27.

Mr Mahama further said that the attributes of Professor Mills are in short supply currently.

The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) said “For those of us who have worked with him closely, we will forever cherish his memory. That is why we continue to celebrate his life every year not because we want to worship him but because his attributes are in such short supply in Ghana today that we need to continue to celebrate him and repeat his attributes so those in public leadership today will learn from the man Atta Mills.

“Our economy is in crisis, and there are hardships across the land, corruption and theft have become the new normal and not the exception.

“Impunity has enveloped our land and public officials carry themselves as if they own the country, ostentation has become the hallmark of the people in office and arrogance has become the prime character of the current leadership.

“If you look at all that is happening today, they were completely contrary to the attributes that Atta Mills espoused.”

At an earlier ceremony to mark the 11th anniversary of the passing of Prof Mills in Accra on Tuesday, July 24, 2023, Mr Mahama for his part said “he was not one to create power at all costs and manipulate state agencies to do his political bidding.

“The Electoral Commission (EC) was truly independent and the judiciary did not live in fear of not satisfying the president’s wishes by their verdicts.

“He did not weaponize justice unlike what we are living through today. He was a great talent sporter and I count myself among his many proteges who have gone on to excel in our various fields of endeavor.

“He held our social and moral values high and it is no wonder that he was unequivocal in his abhorrence of LGBTQ.”

Mr Mahama served as the Vice President to Prof Mills from 2009 to mid-2012 when Prof Mills died on 24th July 2012.