Professor Atta Mills is the first and the only President of the Republic of Ghana who died in office.
In August 2012, the family of Atta Mills officially handed his mortal remains to the State (Republic of Ghana) for funeral and burial rites. It was further agreed between the Atta Mills family and the Government of Ghana to bury the late President on government facility to honour him. The then administration under former President, John Mahama buried the late President on State property near the Osu Castle. The burial site was named Asomdwe Park in honour of the peaceful nature of Atta Mills.
By this agreement, the mortal remains of the late President and the burial site became the property of the State. No more the property of the Atta Mills family. Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum is one such examples we can relate to.
Therefore, the maintenance, renovation, infrastructure addition etc, of/to the Asomdwe Park are the sole preserve of the State (Republic of Ghana). Even the Atta Mills’ family have no more access to carry out any work at the Asomdwe Park or the tomb of Atta Mills without the explicit approval of State.
Between the period of 2013 to 2020, the Asomdwe Park was left in a sorry state. Every structure including the black wood or aluminium panel that was used to cover the block work on top of the tomb fell apart and had to be supported by cement blocks. A visit to the tomb would clearly reveal the cement blocks underneath the black panel. It was the black panel that was removed to raise a befitting tombstone.
The Asomdwe Park became a den for prostitutes and drug addicts. The pond that housed the beautiful white geese became gangrene, and all the geese were stolen after the 2016 elections. The ostriches became diseased and aggressive to visitors as they were kept hungry. The wire mesh that fenced the Park was rusted due to lack of maintenance, and sea dew. Indeed, the Asomdwe Park was an eyesore, an embarrassment to the Republic of Ghana due to total neglect and abandonment by the previous NDC government, and the NPP government in its first term. The writer can attest to this fact as he visits the Asomdwe Park every year and monitored its deterioration over the years, and also wrote about it.
It was during this period of national embarrassment that Koku Anyidoho, former Director of Communication to the late President Atta Mills, through his Non Governmental Organisation, Atta Mills Institute, in 2019 started advocating and lobbying the NPP administration, and President Akufo Addo to restore the dignity of the late President, Atta Mills, and honour his legacy by renovating the Asomdwe Park. This is legitimate as NGOs all over the world advocate government to carry out projects etc. Some NGOs even assist governments to raise funding for some social projects of heritage.
Koku Anyidoho was vociferous, and relentless in his pursuit to see the burial site of his mentor and former ‘boss’ raised to a befitting status deserving of a former President.
The NPP administration, tasked The Coastal Development Authority (CoDA) under the Ministry for Special Development Initiatives, MSDI to carry out the renovation of the Asomdwe Park. However, it developed into a complete mausoleum to honour the life and legacy of Professor John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills.
Koku Anyidoho did not advocate or lobby for the renovation of Asomdwe Park as a family representative or spokesperson of Atta Mills. He lobbied as the Director of Atta Mills Institute, a Non Governmental Organisation.
The Atta Mills family did not hand over the corpse of the late President, Atta Mills to Koku Anyidoho to bury on his private facility. The corpse of Atta Mills was handed over to the Government of Ghana. It is therefore, the sole responsibility of the Government of Ghana to carry out renovation or infrastructural development on the site for which Koku Anyidoho only advocated for. And in carrying out such activities, it is the responsibility of Government of Ghana through its State Protocol Department, SPD or the Chief of Staff office to inform the family of Atta Mills if need be.
Koku Anyidoho has no obligation in law, and in tradition and custom to inform the family of Atta Mills of renovation on a site that does not belong to him, that he has no responsibility for, and has no custody of.
It is rather shocking and appalling to watch a section of the minority in parliament led by Samuel Mills, a younger brother of the late Atta Mills, misdirecting his anger at Koku Anyidoho and calling him a buffoon. This can only be borne from ignorance, extreme hate, bitterness, or evil propaganda. Direct your misunderstanding to Government of Ghana.
Koku Anyidoho, by his demeanor or reactions may not appeal to many. In fact his behaviour or ways of doing things does not need to appeal to many. But without his vociferous advocacy and aggressive lobbying, Asomdwe Park would have been a eyesore of government neglect, and unforgivable dent on the NDC administration that created the Asomdwe Park. As the people of Ghana celebrate the 10th Anniversary of John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills, may the peace and love that he demonstrated be with us.
The universe shall be favourable towards him, and the heavens shall smile at Koku Anyidoho. He served his mentor and boss with dedication even in death.
#shalom
Source: Kofi B. Kukubor
