NPP attacked Mills’ leadership, not his person - Sir John

The General Secretary of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, says the NPP’s criticisms of the late president John Atta Mills were directed at his governance style and leadership and not his person.

Speaking on Joy News’ Personality Friday, he described the late Professor as a very nice man, a Christian, calm and cool person but added his good intentions alone were not enough to give Ghanaians the good governance that they deserved.

The man, known to be the most aggressive and vocal in the opposition NPP denied knowledge of the existence of the newly christened Asomdwee Park, formerly, the Geese Park where the late President John Evans Atta Mills was laid to rest.

He said, “I’m told there are nine graves, I don’t know whether they envisage that nine presidents will die, I don’t think it is traditional, I do not know why somebody will want to prepare graves for others even before they pass on, it baffles me why anybody will do that.”

Sir John argued the ideal situation as far as the burial place for leaders was concerned was for families to decide where anybody, no matter their status in society should be buried.

He also insisted the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), under the current administration had failed to record any significant achievement after almost four years in government.

“It is for them to point one thing that they’ve gotten right…as far as I am concerned they haven’t [pointed out anything], which is why Ghanaians are crying for the return of the NPP.”

Asked whether his party is engaged in politics of insults, Sir John replied, “no we are not, I can speak for the NPP but I can say that the NDC is a party of indiscipline, insult to the marrow. I have never seen any politician insulted more than Akuffo Addo…he has been vilified, maligned and insulted.”

The man who first came to Accra when he gained entry into the university describes himself as a typical village boy made good by God’s intervention.

He was called to the bar in 1981 and practiced law from humble beginnings. It is not surprising he finds himself in politics as his father and uncles were all politicians.

Sir John is optimistic the NPP will wrest power from the NDC come December saying, the party has advised its members to speak to the issues during the campaigns.