Samuel Atta Mills, The late J.E.A. Mills, Koku Anyidoho
BROTHER OF the late President John Evans Atta Mills is accusing the Atta Mills Institute and the Coastal Development Authority (CODA) for allegedly tampering with the tomb of the former President without recourse to the family.
According to Samuel Atta Mills, who has described the act as culturally offensive, the family does not recognise that act by the institute regarding the management of the Asomdwee Park where the remains of the late President were buried.
Anyidoho Retorts
Founder of Atta Mills Institute, Koku Anyidoho, has dared the brother of the late former President to produce the autopsy report on the death of his brother.
In a quick response to the tantrums of Samuel Atta Mills, Mr. Anyidoho, speaking on Joy FM Tuesday, said “John Dramani Mahama refused to build Asomdwee Park; he deliberately refused. President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa, is building Asomdwee Park. Is that what is hurting Sammy Atta Mills?”
Autopsy Report
“Tell him to produce the autopsy report of the death of his brother…Where is the autopsy report of the death of your brother? Sammy Atta Mills has questions to answer,” he fired.
Mr. Anyidoho alleged that Samuel Atta Mills had not been to the graveside of his brother over the last ten years “to care about the remains of his brother.”
According to him, the ongoing renovation at the Asomdwee Park is intended to “glorify God and Ghana, to move away from the level of ignominy that Asomdwee Park sat in. Sammy Atta Mills should be ashamed of himself.”
He also insisted that the remains of the late President had not been tampered with as was being alleged.
On Sunday, the 10th anniversary of the passing of the former President would be observed.
Mr. Anyidoho said a memorial thanksgiving service would be held after which President Akufo-Addo would commission the Asomdwee Park.
But Samuel Atta Mills, who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo Abirem in the Central Region, insists that the NGO run by Koku Anyidoho had removed the tomb, under the guise of renovating it.
“This is an insult to the family; this is an insult to we, the Akans. This is an insult to the nation. The government allows an NGO and Coastal Development Authority to run Asomdwee Park,” quizzing “Why don’t we send another NGO to go and run Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum?”
He demanded for the government to provide the body of the late President Atta Mills, saying, “We want to find out where the body is.”
“Who in this government is authorising this nonsense?” he asked rhetorically.
But Mr. Anyidoho believes the claims of MP Atta Mills were untenable, describing the brother of the late President as a “disgrace.”
He asserted that it was not a crime for an NGO to collaborate with the government to renovate the Asomdwee Park to the glory of God and country.
“John Dramani Mahama refused to build Asomdwee Park; he deliberately refused. President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa is building Asomdwee Park. Is that what is hurting Sammy Atta Mills?” he also asked.
Park Development
The Coastal Development Authority, acting upon a directive from President Akufo-Addo, renovated the Asomdwee Park.
In a statement issued yesterday and signed by its CEO, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, the authority said it liaised with relevant state institutions in charge of state monuments before embarking on the renovation works.
“We wish to state that the grave was not opened and therefore no desecration of the body of the former President, H.E John Evans Atta Mills, has taken place.
“We, therefore, assure all well-meaning Ghanaians that the project, which continues to be a top priority for CODA, is well on schedule and will be handed over to the Office of the President for official commissioning, once completed,” the statement noted.`
BY Vincent Kubi