The National Democratic Congress (NDC), has rejected an invitation from the National Security and the Coastal Development Authority (CODA) to a function meant to officially commission the Asomdwee Park – the final resting place of former President John Evans Atta Mills. A letter signed by the General Secretary of the Party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia and addressed Chief Executive of CODA noted among others that
“Any commissioning of the refurbished Asomdwee Park should in all sincerity, be a truly national affair befitting the stature and character of Prof JEA Mills, a man of peace who devoted his Presidency to the cause of national unity. The commissioning should be a national affair not just by invitation, but by the participation of key stakeholders, not usurpers, in the planning process.”
Below is the letter:
The Chief Executive
Coastal Development Authority(CODA)
Accra.
Attention: Mr. Jerry Shaib
Dear Sir,
Re: Invitation to Commissioning of Asomdwee Park
We have sighted invitations to a ceremony to Commission the Asomdwee Park, burial place of President John Evans Atta Mills who died in office on July 24, 2012. The invitations are in the name of an Atta Mills Institute and the Coastal Development Authority(CODA) “under the distinguished patronage of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo “. We presume CODA to be funding agency for the refurbishment of the Park whose said commissioning is slated for July 24, 2022 and is separate from the 10th anniversary commemorative events being organized by the NDC.
- We wish to state that the Asomdwee Park was conceived as a possible final resting place for deceased Presidents and Vice Presidents. The fact that late President Atta Mills is so far the only dignitary buried there does not change its non political purpose. Indeed, the facility was developed by the National Security Office during the tenure of H.E John Dramani Mahama and remains a National Monument as well as a place of pilgrimage to honor the memory of dignitaries buried there. It was designed to be managed by the national security office with access authorized only by that office. While it is in order for the Government of Ghana to organize functions at the facility and invite persons to same, it is, in our candid view, wholly inappropriate for any private entity to be given an office at the location, directly or indirectly conferring on it a role as overseer even to the extent of issuing invitations in the name of the state.
- It is our position that no privately owned NGO should be clothed with such powers as to issue invitations bearing the National Coat of Arms.
- We are concerned about the posture and activities of an Institute that has assumed for itself some form of mythical ownership of the name John Evans Atta Mills, three times NDC flag bearer and President of Ghanaians 2009-2012. That Institute appears to be serving as a vehicle for our political opponents to sow seeds of confusion in the minds of Ghanaians and obliterate the enviable legacy of late President Atta Mills, a man of peace who was elected into office on the ticket of the NDC. It would be a shame, as the invitation purports, for President Akufo-Addo to be associated with a divisive organization, well-known for its fabrications and abusive language. Let us be clear, the Institute in question has been on a collision course with the NDC party on whose ticket Prof Atta Mills contested and won the 2008 election and became President. For your information, its founder has been dismissed from the NDC. An unfortunate impression should not be created that the Institute is being used by the Presidency and the enviable Coastal Development Authority(CODA) to spite the Atta Mills family, former President John Mahama and the entire NDC for that matter.
- Any commissioning of the refurbished Asomdwee Park should in all sincerity, be a truly national affair befitting the stature and character of Prof JEA Mills, a man of peace who devoted his Presidency to the cause of national unity. The commissioning should be a national affair not just by invitation, but by the participation of key stakeholders, not usurpers, in the planning process.
- Given the above, we kindly request that you withdraw the invitations to the advertised function and meet with the NDC of which Prof. Atta Mills was leader up to the time of his untimely death, and alongside his immediate family, review arrangements for a commissioning event which will reflect the true purpose and outlook of the Asomdwee Park .
Until that is done, the NDC will not participate in the proposed Commissioning event on the strength of invitations issued by the Institute. All persons associated with the NDC have been duly notified of this binding decision.
Please accept our warmest compliments.
Sincerely yours,
Johnson Asiedu Nketia
General Secretary.
Cc
1.Hon. Minister for National Security
- National Security Coordinator