General News of Monday, 20 February 2023

Source: ghanaiantimes.com.gh

First anniversary of Atta Mills Memorial Heritage commemorated

Late former President John Evans Atta Mills Late former President John Evans Atta Mills

The first anniversary of the estab­lishment of the John Evans Atta Mills Memorial Heritage, which seeks to preserve his heritage and legacy has been commemorated in Accra.

Dubbed: “J.E.A Mills Memorial Heritage “a non-profit, independent, non-partisan charitable organisation, established to promote President John Evans Atta Mills’ unique view of society to strengthen democratic values and human develop­ment.

It was established in 2021, a group of academics, professional colleagues, family members, friends, and former appointees of President John Evans Atta Mills conceptualised the creation of the J.E.A. Mills Memorial Heritage.

A statement by J.E.A Mills Heritage, signed by Alexander Percival Segbefia, Chairman of the Her­itage, said President John Evans Atta Mills passed on July 24, 2012, as the first and only President of Ghana to die while in office.

According to the statement, it was after five de­cades of distinguished public service to Ghana that Professor J.E.A Mills rose to become the President of Ghana.

The statement said his “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”.

According to the statement, 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 February 1, 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 statement revealed.

It said 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 May 28, 2022.

According to the statement, 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 July 26, 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,” the state­ment revealed.

“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 statement revealed.

According to the statement, the Memorial Heritage also supported the NDC to organise a wreath-laying ceremony at Asomdwee Park, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of President Mills on July 24, 2022.

Earlier, on March 15, 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.

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