Scores of market women clad in red and black attires on Tuesday marked the one-week celebration of the demise of the late President John Evans Atta Mills. The former President passed away last Tuesday, July 24, at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.
A visit by the Ghana News Agency to the Mallam Atta Market, off the Accra New Town road, between the hours of 06h00 and 07h00 saw most shops draped with red and black bands whilst some shop owners were also spotted in funeral clothes to mark the day.
Some of the shops remained closed with red bands flying in front of them whilst others had portraits of the former President on the periphery of the shops.
The situation was no different at the Makola Market at the Central Business District, as traders danced and sang dirges in memory of the late President whilst others went about their normal duties.
Motorists were not left out as commercial drivers draped their vehicles in red and black and tooting their horns.
Madam Grace Ocloo, a tomato seller told the Ghana News Agency that the death of the former President served a good platform for all Ghanaians to come together for the good of the country.
“President Mills was a father for all. His demise is not for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), but all Ghanaians,” Madam Ocloo said amidst singing and dancing.
Enoch Tetevi, a Truck Pusher at the Mallam Atta Market said the best tribute for the former President would be an incident-free election during the December polls.
“The best tribute we can give our former President is by desisting from acts of violence during the elections in December. Ghana is a peaceful country and President Mills was also noted for peace, so we must all contribute our quota to ensuring a peaceful election,” Tetevi noted.
Meanwhile, the one-minute silence at 1415 hours was not observed by the market women, as many went about their normal activities.**