Mills gave me room to operate - Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has showered praises on the late President Mills for treating him as a son, and also giving him the room to operate as Vice President. According to him, his former boss was a great world leader, and that he was lucky to have worked with him.

President Mahama showered these praises when he called on the family of the late President and the Cape Coast Traditional Council in Cape Coast on Saturday, to officially inform them about his death, and to also mourn with them.

According to him, President Mills reposed confidence in him and always encouraged him to continue with his assignment whenever the going was tough for him (Mahama).

“He trained me very well and gave me all the opportunities, such as head of economic team and chairman of police council among others, which made me the luckiest Vice President in the world,” he said.

President Mahama told the two groups that whenever he was found wanting, President Mills would tell him to calm down with the advice that God was on their side. This, he continued, confirmed the unquestionable Christian faith the former Ghanaian President had.

“I speak with a heavy heart, because we have lost a great leader, and the tragic loss and grief that have engulfed the country was very huge,” President Mahama told the family members.

He said former President Mills exhibited a high sense of patience, tolerance, fairness and firmness, as well as integrity, which made him an icon in the eyes of the international community.

President Mahama told the emotionally charged bereaved family that since his (Mills) demise last Tuesday, many world leaders had called him on phone and expressed their condolences, and that some of them had expressed their willingness to attend his burial ceremony, slated for Accra from August 8-10.

“These world leaders know the kind of man he was, and are willing to attend his final funeral rites,” Mahama pointed out. He, therefore, made a passionate appeal to President Mills’ family to accept him as a son and support him in prayers, pledging his commitment to continue the legacy of the late Professor.

The Chief of Staff, Henry Martey Newman, said his first visit to the late President’s family residence was when he accompanied the former Ghanaian leader to help him mourn his father, but today (Saturday), his second visit to the house had brought him to mourn with great pain. According to him, he had known former President Mills for the past 50 years, dating back to the University of Ghana, Legon. He said the country had lost a great President, who had the country at heart.

On her part, Mrs. Mary Dennis, a younger sister of President Mills, said all the insults and name calling had ended with his demise, and that “in all things, there is the need to give thanks to God.”

Rev. Dawson Amoah, a family member, who offered a powerful prayer for President Mahama, asked him not to forget the family of the late President, his kinsmen and the Central Region as a whole.

Earlier, a large crowd of Cape Coasters and people across the region gathered at the Nkanfoa residence of their idol to mourn the late President. They sang memorial songs, and the atmosphere was further ignited when a bus load of ministers of state arrived at the scene.

As they alighted from the bus, Ms. Hannah Tetteh was greeted with shouts of “Vice President” as some surged forward to catch a glimpse of her.

The deafening cheers for the Trade and Industry Minister continued as she climbed the steps to the living room, where the family members from Cape Coast, Otuam and Enyan Denkyira, as well as well wishers had gathered to receive President Mahama and his delegation.

The occasion seemed like the final funeral rites of the late Law and Economics Professor, as the weeping and wailing of a large crowd of people characterised the memorable occasion.

The scene again, became charged when President John Mahama set foot there, with some of the mourners weeping uncontrollably.

Both President Mahama and Chief of Staff Henry Martey Newman, who were emotionally charged, broke down in tears when they took turns to address the late President’s family.