A memorial lecture eulogizing and immortalizing the late Prof. John Evans Atta Mills for his time on earth and his legacy as one of Ghana’s most reputable presidents has been held at the University of Cape Coast.
The lecture organized by the Local Organizing Committee and the Governing Board of the J.E.A Mills Memorial Heritage is the second in the series of lectures to be observed in all the 16 regions in Ghana which has been clustered into six zones.
The lecture, which was organized for the central and western regions was on the theme: The Man John Evans Atta Mills-Ten Years On.
Delivering the keynote address, the Director of the Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research at Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Prof. Kwesi Aning said the late J.E.A Mills embodied values and principles that he brought into the public service.
He notes that the contributions made by the former president J.E.A Mills in governance and public life are unique, hence the need to celebrate him.
According to him, the former president’s approaches to politics, governance, and the law reflected and underpinned his understanding of the application and usage of principles inherent in different instruments in the country.
“J. E. A. Mills brought something unique to our public life, it is contingent on us to begin the processes of systematically complying and analyzing his thoughts and actions to contribute to improving governance in Ghana,” he said.
He further intimated the need to desist from the seeming intimidation approach to handling security issues in Ghana which in his view has failed to protect the citizenry and created fear in communities and societies.
He rather urged the country to learn the J.E.A Mills approach to security.
“Let us find the courage and the strength to rise above the pertinent of pride. Let us emulate the self-sacrifice of the scholar, the bureaucrat, the politician, and the state man whom we celebrate today and make Ghana the fulcrum around which our struggles revolve,” he said.\
Prof. Kwesi Aning hinted that some individuals are deliberately attempting to discredit the former president in diverse ways.
He, therefore, urged the J.E.A Mills Memorial Heritage to as a matter of urgency make available all his works for future use.
“Start a process of gathering every single scrap of paper that holds Prof. Mills. These writings must be made available by establishing a Presidential collection and it is critical and crucial that we protect and use these works as the basis for knowledge generation and knowledge distribution and that will be the best ever for safeguarding his legacy against reproaching and debasement”
Eulogizing J.E.A Mills
Omanhen of Oguaa Traditional Area, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II described the late former president of Ghana, Professor John Evans Atta Mills as a man of peace and one who tolerated divergent views during his era as president.
According to him, the late president exhibited a high sense of love, care, and peace during his presidential era that needs to be emulated by all.
Osabarima Kwesi Atta II further noted that former JEA Mills was a very humble politician and his personality stood out in a very combative political scene.
Education
Also, an Associate Professor at the department of labor and human resource studies at the University of Cape Coast, Prof. Akua Britwum, speaking on prof. JEA Mills’ contributions to Ghana’s education said the late former president implemented educational policies geared towards promoting all-inclusive education including infrastructure development and expansion, and continuity of inherited projects.
She indicated that education is fundamental to the development of every country and therefore called on all political parties for a consensus effort to help promote education in Ghana.
Read: All set for “The man John Evans Atta Mills-Ten years on” memorial lecture
Source: Eric Sekyi & Linda Amakye Adjei/ATLFMNEWS
