By Kofi Thompson

Like most Ghanians I was shocked and saddened when told President Mills had passed away. And, as is the case with Ghanaians everywhere, at this trying time, my thoughts are with his widow, Dr. Naadu Mills, our former First Lady, and the extended families of our former first couple.

In time, history will come to judge President Mills as an honest and decent man, who though not a strong leader in the classic African sense, dedicated himself to serving ordinary people and the country he loved.

Despite being handicapped by a terminal illness that dogged him throughout his tenure, he worked tirelessly to make Ghanaian democracy work.

The shabby treatment he received from his political opponents, who used character assassination as a political weapon to destroy him, marked a new low in Ghanaian politics.

And an African leader, who turned down an opportunity to enrich himself, by declining an offered secret deal from corrupt foreign oil company executives, was somehow made out to be a corrupt politician, by his political opponents - lesser men who themselves would never have turned down such a bribe from respectable-looking crooks running foreign oil companies with interests in Ghana.

Despite all the accusations and insults, President Mills was a decent and honest man. His tragedy, was that he was used by those he relied on in his own party for their own selfish ends - and deliberately insulted on a daily basis by ruthless, sly and dishonest rogues in the New Patriotic Party, who felt that destroying his credibility was essential, if they were to dislodge Mills and his party from power in the December 2012 presidential election.

Perhaps President Mills should have thought of himself and resigned from office on health grounds, long ago - but he was unable to do so because he had decided to dedicate himself to serving ordinary Ghanaians. May his soul rest in peace.

Tel: 027 745 3109.

Email: peakofi.thompson@gmail.com