The memorial service for the late President Prof John Evans Atta Mills at Asomdwee Park in Accra was disrupted on Wednesday, July 24. The confusion began when the dismissed deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, went over his allotted time, causing a delay for the second NDC event to mark 12 years since President Mills’ passing.
Two wreath-laying ceremonies were planned for July 24 to honour the late former President, who died at 37 Military Hospital in 2012. The first event, organized by Mr. Anyidoho, exceeded its scheduled time, causing a delay for the second event organized by the NDC and the JEA Mills Memorial Heritage.
According to the late President’s brother, Samuel Atta-Mills, Koku Anyidoho brought in individuals he described as fake family members and told them to stay, preventing the NDC from starting its program on time.
He expressed his disapproval, stating, “You’re not related to this man, and anybody could come here and celebrate him. He [Atta Mills] belongs to the country, so why would you want to clash with us? And as a coward, as he is, he ran away and left the people here – the fake family over here.
We didn’t intimidate anybody, but when persuasion fails, force is applied. Indeed, we are at Asomdwee Park, but when we talk to you and you don’t understand, sometimes a little encouragement will make you move.”
Mr. Atta-Mills further remarked, “When they advise you and you don’t listen, this is what happens. But Koku should know that he’s hiding behind a political power. Every political power in this world has an expiration date. A day will come that the political power he is hiding behind will expire.”
Addressing the incident, the sister of former President Atta Mills, Mercy Araba Ahema Quarshie, described it as unpleasant and disgusting, insisting that the individuals at the earlier ceremony were not their relatives.
