Atta Mills Tributes

The worldwide body, United Nations General Assembly (GA) has paid a fitting tribute to Ghana’s late President John Evans Atta Mills describing him as a man of peace.

At the beginning of the 123 meeting of the 66 Session at the UN headquarters in New York, members rd th of the august body observed a minute’s silence in honour of the Ghanaian leader.

The tributes were kick-started by the President of the GA, Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz al-Nasser, who speaking on behalf of the UN membership said “Thanks to his (President Mills’) leadership, Ghana remains today a model of democracy in the region.”

“Dr. Mills’ legacy of hard work, integrity and sacrifice will remain bright and enduring for the people of Ghana and of the world” he said.

The president of the UN noted that “As President of Ghana, he (President Mills) was widely regarded as a caring, principled and dedicated leader, who made lasting contributions towards the advancement of economic development and good governance”.

Mr. Al-Nasser extended the heartfelt condolences of the entire UN body to Mrs. Ernestina Naadu Mills, wife of the late President Mills, the bereaved family and the Government and people of Ghana at this difficult time of grief and mourning.

In his statement to the UN, Mr. Ken Kanda, Ghana’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative said the country had lost an illustrious and indefatigable son, who in all respects was honourable, honest and above all extremely humble.

Ambassador Kanda told the august body that the late President was taken ill suddenly around noon on Tuesday, July 24 and was rushed to the 37 Military hospitals in Accra, where he passed on at 14:15hours.

President Mills was “Respectful and Respectable, He led a surprisingly simple life for a man in his position; He had deep respect for the office and the people he served. He was a leader Par Excellence”.

Describing President Mills’ death as a huge and painful loss, Ambassador Kanda summed up that the late Ghanaian leader’s legacy of a fruitful, fulfilled and exemplary life “earned him the accolade of “Asomdweehene”, (King of Peace) because he eschewed divisiveness and lived and led as a “Father for all”.

In a tribute on behalf of the African States at the UN, Mr. Charles Thembani Ntwaagae, Botswana’s Envoy said the best way Africa and the International community could continue to honour Prof. Mills’ memory and legacy was to renew commitment to upholding human dignity, democracy and accountable governance, freedom and justice, all of which he fully cherished during his lifetime.

Prof. Mills was the kind of person who rarely showed emotion even under most trying circumstances”. Ambassador Ntwaagae said of the late Ghanaian leader.

On behalf of the Eastern European States, Mr. Zeliko Vukobratovic, charge d’affaires of Bosnia and Herzegovina hoped that the legacy of President Mills will serve as an outstanding example in leading the country towards progress and prosperity.

The Asia and the Pacific Small Island Developing States, in their tribute read by Ms. Sofia Mesquita Borges, Permanent Representative of Timor Letse said the vision of the late President Mills has “seen benefits from policies focused on investing in local people to ensure that they do not only reap the benefits of economic growth, but are also competitive nationally and internationally”

Ambassador Jean Wesley Cazeau of Haiti on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean States eulogized the late President Mills, whilst Mr. Miguel Berger, charge d’affaires of Germany, spoke highly of the leadership qualities of the late President on behalf of the Western European and other states. He said that the death was a great loss and hoped that President John Mahama will continue from where President Mills left off.

At the turn of Mr. Jeff De Laurentis, US Ambassador to the UN he referred to President Mills’’ impressive record that endeared him to the world as a peaceful and true statesman. He also recalled recent invitation that President Obama extended to the late Ghanaian leader to the USA.

All the speakers referred to the late Ghanaian Leader’s peaceful nature and exemplary leadership that made him to stand out.