North Tongu Member of Parliament Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has celebrated the Late Professor John Evans Atta Mills who died on the seat as President of Ghana on July 24, 2012
On the occasion of the 78th birthday of the late Professor on Thursday July 21, 2022, Mr Ablakwa said he was an incorruptible and outstanding leader.
Mr Ablakwa who served as Deputy Minister of Information under Professor Mills said in a tweet on Thursday that “On the solemn occasion of the 78th birthday of Prof. John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills, the 3rd President of the 4th Republic; we honour his memory & accord him all the dignity that incorruptible & outstanding leader deserves. Your legacy would always tower above pettiness & division.”
His comments come at a time there is tension between the family of Professor Mills on one hand, and the Executive Director of the Atta Mills Memorial Institute Koku Anyidoho and the Coastal Development Authority (CoDA) on the other hand, over claims that the tomb of Prof Mills has been tampered with.
On Tuesday July 19, Sam Atta Mills, brother of Professor Mills accused Koku Anyidoho and the CoDA of tinkering with the tomb.
“A group calling itself Atta Mills Institute that the family doesn’t even recognize, and Coastal Development Authority, have gone to break the grave of President John Evans Atta Mills. They have removed the tomb, and they claim that they are rebuilding it,” the Member of Parliament for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo Abirem said at press conference in Parliament.
He added “My question is that, we have a family tradition. Now that they have touched someone’s grave, is the body still in there? Who has the body? Why will you touch the body without informing the family head? Under whose authority?
“Why do they want us to always go through grief? This is a former president, why will the government allow this to happen? This is an insult to the family and the nation.”
But responding to him in series of tweets, Koku Anyidoho said ” Sammy Atta-Mills says I have stolen the body of President Atta-Mills??
“Is it a crime to remove the dirty black cardboard that used to shamefully cover the grave of President Atta-Mills, and replace it with, granite stones? Is, Sammy Atta-Mills talking about curses? The curses shall be upon his ugly head. John Dramani Mahama should bow down his head in shame for not building Asomdwee Park.”
He added “I will not use Asomdwee Park for partisan politics. It is a big shame that Sammy Atta-Mills has neglected the burial place of his brother, and is using the work the State is doing for dirty politics – in support of John Dramani Mahama.”
“I am happy that President Akufo-Addo has built Asomdwee Park. John Mahama deliberately refused to build it. Sammy Atta-Mills has NEVER celebrated his brother; he wants me to tell the story of his wickedness towards his brother? I am happy that Sammy Atta-Mills has opened the can of worms that I have been trying very hard not to open.
“Sammy Atta-Mills says I am a buffoon? I see! Let him produce the autopsy report of the late President Atta-Mills. Sammy Atta-Mills should tell us, what killed his brother. He says, his brother died in his hands: he should tell us how his brother died.”
The Asomdwee Park is the burial place of Professor John Evans Atta Mills who died on the seat some 10 years ago.
The Coastal Development Authority (CoDA) also rejected allegations that the renovation of the Asomdwee Park as per a directive from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo led to the tampering of the grave of late President Professor John Evans Atta Mills and the “desecration” of his body.
CoDA on Wednesday, July 20 also clarified that it liaised with relevant state authorities to embark on the renovation works.
It noted that the redesign and construction of the ICT lab, library and cafeteria, fence wall, concrete shed, restrooms for the security, entrance for VIPs, among others, have been completed.
The Authority, however, said the asphalting of the driveway to the general entrance and landscaping of the general area around the tomb are what is left.
“We wish to state that the grave was not opened and therefore no desecration of the body of the former President, H.E John Evans Atta Mills, has taken place,” a statement issued by Chief Executive Officer Jerry Ahmed Shaib said.
“We therefore assure all well-meaning Ghanaians that the project, which continues to be a top priority for CODA, is well on schedule and will be handed over to the Office of the President for official commissioning, once completed.”
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana