Relatives of late president John Evans Atta Mills are crying foul alleging neglect by officialdom.
Relatives of late president John Evans Atta Mills are crying foul alleging neglect by officialdom.
According to the head of the Mills family, Ato Brew Junior, if it is a constitutional provision for a former president to be given a bungalow, then the family is asking for one.
The agitation by the Mills family follows a request by former president John Dramani Mahama to be allowed to retain his official bungalow as his ex gratia.
Speaking to Nabil Ahmed Rufai on 12Live on Class 91.3FM on Tuesday, 10 January, Mr Brew Junior said: “All the rituals were done in my house. As the head of family, I received the body and I allowed them to bury the body and since then nobody has called to say, ‘good afternoon’ or ‘good morning’, nothing of that sort. Again, I’m not able to visit the late president’s wife because of issues of security and we don’t know whether any money passes through hands or whatever it is. It looks as if I’ve not done anything or the family has not done anything for the country and if it were you, you wouldn’t feel happy about it. Let me tell you, we are not from Ekumfi, we are from Kotokuraba, they are only making politics out of this.”
Asked about steps taken to draw government’s attention to the issue, the 82-year-old quizzed: “Will I be given the chance?” adding: “Nobody has even come to me. After four of them came to my house, I gave them lots of advice and photographs; nobody has minded me anymore. I’m 84 years, an old lecturer at University of Ghana, and I think I’m the only black African pollinator of cocoa and I’m satisfied with what I have and our family is also satisfied with what they have.”
In response to what the family was seeking from government, Mr Brew said: “Do I have to come in and tell them? I’m not to decide to the government but they must also weigh and see where the man comes from. I don’t know whether anything has been done for the wife or any of us. Cadman Atta Mills is away, he was the late president’s advisor. Cadman has been neglected, that’s a pity”.
Asked if the family wanted a house because of the ongoing debate on a house for former president Mahama, Mr Brew Junior said: “Is it in our constitution? If it is, then we are also asking for one.”
