Atta Mills Institute was not formed because I had nothing to do or was hungry – Koku Anyidoho

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Atta Mills Institute (AMI), Koku Anyidoho, says the institute was not established because he had nothing to do or because he was a hungry man.

He disclosed that the AMI was an idea he had discussed with his mentor and teacher, the late Professor John Evans Atta Mills.

Anyidoho, who worked as the official spokesperson and speechwriter for the late president, said he had discussed with Atta Mills what he would do after his presidential term was over, and from the discussions they had, it emerged that they planned on establishing an institute.

According to him, the late president had an interest in getting back to academia after his presidency, and just like former President Kufour had established a foundation, he and the late Mills agreed to establish the Atta Mills Institute as part of efforts aimed at promoting mindset transformation.

He disclosed this at the launch of his first authored book, “Uncompromising Thoughts: Leafing Our National Issues,” on July 24, 2014, which coincided with the 12th year of the passing of Atta Mills. The 200-page book is a compilation of articles written by Samuel Koku Anyidoho. The articles span across Ghana’s politics, education, religion, development, and international politics.

The opening chapter of the book takes the reader on a nostalgic journey through the lives of two of Ghana’s most impactful presidents, the late Jerry John Rawlings and the late John Evans Atta Mills.

The book contains a point of view that was once as close as possible to the ultimate seat of power in the land, and secondly, as a close observer of many decisions of subsequent seats of power. It is an unbending narrative, an unflinching account, and a must-read. The book will also cause the reader to ask important questions about Ghana’s lagging development from various angles.

Anyidoho told the attendees that he and the late President always planned their exit because it was obvious they would not stay in the presidency forever and so had plans for their exit.

“I always knew that I would not remain at the presidency forever, and I cannot count the number of times I discussed with President Atta Mills our ‘Exit Plan.’ The exit plan was that, after the President finished his two terms (so I thought, without knowing the plans of God), we would exit together, I would work for his foundation or institution, and that would be my ladder to the top of writing and getting my work published. As fate would have it, President Atta Mills exited the earth realm and left me in a big quandary,” he declared.

He stressed that the Atta Mills Institute was not formed because he had nothing to do or was hungry, but because Mills and he had been speaking about it before his death. His death should not kill the idea, and so that was why they set it up.