In October 2021, a group of academics, professional colleagues, family members, friends and former appointees of President John Evans Atta Mills conceptualized the creation of the J.E.A. Mills Memorial Heritage. This Memorial Heritage was to be a non-profit, independent, non-partisan charitable organisation, established to promote the President John Evans Atta Mills’ unique view of society to strengthen democratic values and human development.
President John Evans Atta Mills passed on peacefully to glory at 1.40pm on 24th July, 2012. He is the first and only President of Ghana so far to die whilst in office.
He was the first Fulbright Scholar to become President of Ghana and the elected Head of State of any country in the world for that matter. It was after five decades of distinguished public service to Ghana that Professor J.E.A Mills rose to become the President of Ghana. His was a ‘legacy of commitment to education and the pursuit of excellence, a legacy of devotion to the development of the youth through sports, and a legacy of deep respect for the political process’. The Memorial Heritage was established in his memory, to preserve his heritage and legacy.
February 2023 marks one year of the launch of the J.E.A. Mills Memorial Heritage. We are happy to announce, that during its first year of existence, the Memorial Heritage has lived up to its ideals and objectives.
After its incorporation and a successful Launch on 1st February, 2022 at the Cedi Conference Centre, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, the Memorial Heritage successfully organised Lectures and other activities to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of President John Evans Atta Mills.
The first 10th Anniversary Commemorative Regional Lecture was held for the Northern Sector comprising the Upper East, Upper West, Northern, North East and Savannah Regions at the Tamale Campus of the University of Development Studies on 28th May, 2022. The event was chaired by Naa Alhassan Andani, former Executive Director of Stanbic Bank and member of the Advisory Council of the J.E.A. Mills Memorial Heritage. The Keynote Address was delivered by Most Reverend Philip Naameh, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Tamale Catholic Diocese. The Northern Sector Regional Lecture also saw the outdooring of ‘The Great Launch: The Proceedings of the Launch of the J.E.A. Mills Memorial Heritage’.
The second series of the Regional Lectures was held for the Western and Central regions at the University of Cape Coast on 29th June, 2022. The event was chaired by Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, Omanhen of the Oguaa Traditional Area and the Keynote Speaker was Professor Kwesi Aning, Dean of Academic Affairs of the Kofi Annan International Peace-keeping Training Centre. The Lecture was climaxed with the launch of the 10th anniversary cloth for the anniversary celebrations as well as for subsequent events of the Memorial Heritage.
The third series of the Regional Lectures was the Volta/Oti Regional Lecture, held on 29th September, 2022 at the University of Health and Allied Sciences at Ho. The event was chaired by Nana Soglo Alloh IV, Paramount Chief of the Likpe Traditional Area, and the Keynote Speaker was Professor Fred Newton Binka, Founding Vice Chancellor of UHAS. A publication titled, ‘Atta Mills Speaks’, a compilation of the four State of the Nation Addresses by President Mills from 2009 to 2012 was launched during the Ho lecture.
The highlight of the 10th anniversary commemoration was the Annual Commemorative Lecture which was held on 26th July, 2022 at the Accra International Conference Centre. The Lecture was chaired by Nana Otuo Siriboe II, Omanhene of the Juaben Traditional Area and Chairman of the Council of State of the Republic of Ghana and the Keynote speaker was an outstanding personality and revered legal luminary, Tsatsu Tsikata.
In its first year, the Memorial Heritage engaged in other activities related to our vision and objectives. These included, but were not limited to, the institution of awards to the overall best five sandwich students of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), a University established by President J.E.A. Mills in 2012 in fulfilment of his party, the NDC’s 2008 Manifesto promise. The Memorial Heritage also supported the NDC to organize a wreath-laying ceremony at the Asomdwee Park, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of President Mills on the 24th of July, 2022. Earlier, on 15th March, 2022 the Memorial Heritage appointed its Advisory Council. The Advisory Council is chaired by Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State of the Volta Region.
To end the commemoration of the 10th year anniversary, two regional lectures will be held for the Bono, Bono East, Ahafo and Western North regions at Sunyani, and the last of the series of Lectures for the Ashanti and Eastern regions in Kumasi.
So far, the Regional Lectures and the other activities organised by the Memorial Heritage have been a huge success and we are grateful to Ghanaians for their support and continued commitment to the Memorial Heritage to preserve the heritage and legacy of President John Evans Atta Mills. We are expecting full participation in the 2023 scheduled activities which will be announced in due course.
We continue to celebrate the life of President John Evans Atta Mills. As stated by our Advisory Council Chair, Togbe Afede XIV, ‘President Atta Mills was committed to excellence and is worth celebrating. His was to ensure a better Ghana that creates opportunities for all’.
We of the J.E.A. Mills Memorial Heritage are committed to this cause. Happy First Anniversary!
6th February 2023