President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to continue walking in the footsteps of the late President John Evans Atta Mills, speaking at the Wreath Laying and Memorial Service held at Asomdwee Park to mark 14 years since Mills’ death in July 2012.
The ceremony brought together senior government officials, traditional leaders, party members and the Mills family to honour the memory of the former President. President Mahama opened his remarks by acknowledging the wide range of dignitaries present at the memorial, reflecting the continued national significance attached to Mills’ legacy.
Those in attendance included Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, traditional leaders, members of the Council of State, Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, NDC General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, Majority Leader Hon. Mahama Ayariga, government ministers, members of Parliament, and members of the Mills family.
Memory Sharpens Even as Grief Softens
Reflecting on the passage of time since Mills’ passing, President Mahama observed that while grief tends to soften with the years, memory of the late President’s character has only grown clearer.
“Every year we return to this quiet place known as the Asomdwee Park not merely to lay wreaths but to renew our gratitude for a life that enriched and strengthened our nation. Time has a way of softening grief and pain, but it also has a way of sharpening memory”.
President John Dramani Mahama
He described what continues to define Mills’ legacy fourteen years after his death, emphasising the man behind the presidency rather than the office itself. “14 years after Professor John Evans Atta Mills left us, I find that what endures most after his departure is not merely the memory of a president but the memory of a man, a gentle soul whose character was his greatest strength,” he said.
President Mahama drew a distinction between leaders who command attention through personality and those who earn respect through conviction, placing President Mills firmly in the latter category.
“President Mills commanded respect by the strength of his character and his values. He believed that kindness was not a weakness and that humility was not timidity and that decency was not incompatible with effective leadership. He demonstrated that one could occupy the highest office of the land without losing one’s humanity”.
President John Dramani Mahama
A Firsthand Account of Mills’ Leadership Style
Drawing on his own experience serving alongside Mills, President Mahama offered a personal account of the late President’s approach to leadership, describing a man defined by patience and quiet reflection.
“I had the rare privilege of serving by his side. Beyond the cabinet meetings, the official engagements and the weighty affairs of state, I came to know a leader who listened more than he spoke, who reflected before he acted, and who never allowed the burdens of office to diminish his compassion for the ordinary people that he led”.
President John Dramani Mahama
President Mahama argued that Mills’ leadership offers an important lesson for contemporary politics, particularly at a time when public discourse often leans toward division and impatience.
“Professor Mills’ leadership was anchored in conscience. In today’s world where our public discourse is often dominated by anger, division and impatience, the life of President Mills reminds us that history ultimately judges leaders not by the volume of their voices but by the depth of their convictions, not by the bitterness of political contests but by the lasting impact of their service”.
President John Dramani Mahama
He credited Mills with instilling a particular understanding of what public office should represent. “He taught us that public office is not a prize to be claimed, but a trust given by the people to be honored. He understood that leadership is at its best when it seeks to unite a people rather than divide them, to heal rather than injure, and to inspire rather than intimidate,” he said.
Mills’ Example Continues to Guide Present Decisions
President Mahama revealed that he continues to draw on the example of late President Mills as he carries out his own responsibilities as President, describing the late leader’s temperament as a recurring point of reflection.
“As I reflect on the responsibilities that the people of Ghana have entrusted on me today, I often recall his quiet wisdom and steady temperament. These values continue to remind me that every decision that I take must ultimately serve the people of Ghana and strengthen the democratic institutions that would outlive us all”.
President John Dramani Mahama
President Mahama argued that the most meaningful way to honour Mills’ memory extends beyond annual commemorations, resting instead in a genuine commitment to the values he upheld throughout his life and career.
“The greatest tribute we can pay to him lies in our commitment to the principles that he cherished and lived for, and that is integrity in public life, respect for democratic institutions, tolerance of different views, compassion for the vulnerable, and an unwavering belief that Ghana’s progress must benefit each and every one of its citizens”.
President John Dramani Mahama
A Personal Pledge to Continue Mills’ Work
President Mahama closed his tribute with a direct and personal pledge to continue building on Mills’ unfinished vision for the country, describing the late President’s dream as a shared national responsibility rather than a closed chapter.
“His dream of a peaceful, just, and prosperous Ghana remains a work in progress, and I pledge, in memory of President Mills, that I shall continue to walk in the footsteps that he left. Professor Mills’ dream now belongs to all of us, and we must continue to work to fulfill that dream”.
President John Dramani Mahama
President Mahama concluded his address by expressing appreciation to Mills’ widow, Mrs Ernestina Naadu Mills, and the wider Mills family, thanking them on behalf of the nation for the life and legacy they shared with Ghana.
The memorial service at Asomdwee Park continues a longstanding annual tradition of honouring Mills’ contribution to Ghana’s democratic development, drawing together political leaders across government and party lines to reflect on a presidency remembered less for its length than for the character and conviction it embodied.
President Mahama’s remarks, delivered fourteen years after Mills’ passing, reaffirm the late President’s continued influence on the values shaping Ghana’s current political leadership.
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