The chiefs and elders of Ekumfi in the Central Region have called out former President John Dramani Mahama for failing to fulfill any of the promises he made to them after taking over as President following the death of former President John Evans Atta Mills on 24 July 2012.
According to the Chiefs and Elders Ekumfi, the hometown of the late former President Atta Mills, the John Mahama’s administration which was in office from 24 July 2012 through to 7 January 2017, made several promises to the people of Ekumfi. However, the Mahama administration, the Chiefs pointed out, reneged on all the promises.
Failed promises
They made this known when they paid a courtesy call on President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House on Friday, 12 January 2024, to register their appreciation to President Akufo-Addo and his government for the honour done the late former President John Evans Atta-Mills by renovating his final resting place, the “Asomdwe Park” in Accra.
“We wish to take advantage of this opportunity given to us to meet the President to establish that the late former President John Evans Atta Mills is not from Cape Coast. Some of our family members have painted the picture that he hailed from Cape Coast but that cannot be true.
“Before the family agreement to allow the mortal remains of the late former president to be buried in Accra, the Mahama Administration made several promises to the family of the late Atta Mills and the people and chiefs of Ekumfi.
“However, they failed to fulfill any of those promises. Not a single one of those promises they made was fulfilled. The Atta-Mills family is displeased with these failed promises made by the John Mahama administration,” Kobina Biney, Ebusuapanyin of the Odomaa Clan of Ekumfi said to President Akufo-Addo on behalf of the delegation.
We went to see “Asomdwe Park,” the final resting place of the late Professor Evans Atta Mills, we laid our wreath and performed all the necessary rites. We are indeed pleased with what you have done to honour our son and beloved late former President.
“We wish to say a big thank you and request that your government look at our direction and take steps to fulfill at least one of the promises the previous government made to us. If just one is done for us, we will use it to remember you after you have left office as President of the Republic” Ebusuapanyin Kobina Biney added.
Challenge accepted
To the request of the family for President Akufo-Addo to do something significant in the Ekumfi traditional area in fulfillment of the failed promises made to them by the John Mahama government which will also serve as a monument in remembrance of him after he leaves office on 7 January 2025, President Akufo-Addo said he accepts the challenge and he will do all within his power to meet the expectations of the chiefs and elders of Ekumfi in his last year in office.
Asomdwe Park
Responding to the family’s thank you gesture on the redevelopment of the final resting place of the late professor Evans Atta Mills, President Akufo-Addo said the late former President was his good friend back in school at the University of Ghana, and even though they had different ideological difference, it was only right that the man who was his contemporary is given a befitting resting place especially when he lost his life right on the line of duty serving his country at the highest office of the land.
Autopsy report
The family of the late former President during the visit also appealed to President Akufo-Addo to use his high office to assist them in retrieving the autopsy report that was carried out following the death of their beloved son on 24 July 2012.
Nana Enyimfua III, Kyedomhem of Ekumfi Asaman, who was part of the delegation speaking on behalf of the family said 12 years after the death of the former President, it is unacceptable that the family has not been given an autopsy report.
“Since I was enstooled as the Queenmother, I have not seen any autopsy report in the hands of the family. It is a very difficult situation that the family and I have. We are unable to explain to anyone the actual cause of death of the former President because we do not have the official autopsy report.
“It is only right that we know exactly what the doctor found as the cause of his death. To this end, I wish to plead with your government for and on behalf of my entire family, to assist us in securing the autopsy report,” Nana Enyimfua III said.
“If the autopsy report is obtained, it will go a long way to put the family’s continued confusion on the cause of death of the late Atta Mills to rest and the future generations of our family will have a source document to use in explaining to their children of the real cause of death of the former President” the Queenmother added.
Was there an autopsy
President Akufo-Addo in response to the request of the family sought to get clarity on whether or not an autopsy was carried out on the body of the late former President after he died on 24 July 2012.
He noted that it comes to him as a surprise that a basic document such as an autopsy report after the death of such an important personality like the former President should be a subject of controversy.
Claims of KEEA MP
Mr Koku Anyidoho, Chief Executive Officer of the Atta Mills Institute, who was part of the delegation observed that but for the inquiry of the Queenmother, he would have loved to stay completely away from the issue of the autopsy report on the death of his former boss.
Mr Anyidoho further indicated he is personally not aware of any autopsy report on the cause of death of the former President, however, he said he is aware that the brother of the late former President and the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) member of Parliament for the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) constituency in the Central Region, Mr Samuel Atta-Mills, is on record to have said that he has an autopsy report and that he knows the cause of the death of his brother.
Assurance to act
President Akufo-Addo after the submission of Koku Anyidoho, told the delegation that he will give the request of the Atta Mills Family all the necessary attention it deserves because he considers it to be a legitimate demand. He added that since Professor Atta Mills died as a sitting President, his autopsy report should be a matter of public record and not a secret.