Ghana needs a leader with late President Mills’ qualities—Archbishop Naameh

Most Reverend Philip Naameh, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale, said the current political atmosphere in the country requires a leader, who has qualities of former President Atta Mills, to rally along all the citizenry for national development.

There was politicisation of the judiciary, the security services, use of state security to crackdown on the media, and dissenting views, lack of inclusivity and excessive partisanship in Parliament, he said, adding that the situation was not good for national development.

Most Rev. Naameh was delivering a lecture on the topic: “Values of Professor Mills that Our Leaders should emulate to promote Good Governance,” at the maiden John Evans Atta Mills Memorial Lectures for northern Ghana to ark 10 years of his death.

It was organised by the John Evans Atta Mills Memorial Heritage in Tamale for former President Mills, who was the third President (2009 to 2012) in the Fourth Republic.

“Professor Mills came across to me as a very decent person with a great sense of the fear of God. The key qualities that outlined the personality of Prof Mills was his humility, honesty, courage, faith, calmness, his peaceful and his tolerant nature,” he said.

“He was indeed a decent and polite politician, someone, who also had faith in the youth of our country.”

Most Rev. Naameh said Professor Mills had a strong sense of forgiveness as he did not wish to carry out political vendetta of any kind, and was also very respectful and accommodating of dissenting views.

“This is the spirit we need today in our politics to bring down the political tension between the NDC and NPP.”

He said leadership was an opportunity to help others develop and not to enrich oneself and party members only.

“Professor Mills believed that leadership was for service, hence as a leader, he was the servant of the people. He did not want to lord it over others and wanted to use his presidency to serve the ‘Better Ghana Agenda’ to save lives of the citizens and not to lord it over them.”

“We need the Professor Mills character of listening to bring all views and all people on board. Ghana needs a leader with these qualities in the current political atmosphere of our country. Our leaders should emulate his qualities to promote good governance.”

Most Rev. Naameh advised the National Democratic Congress to ensure unity among members “because if you are not united, even if you are able to wrestle power from the present government, the disunity alone will work to dismantle you.”

He urged the party leadership to hold onto the legacy of Atta Mills, ensure inclusivity and be committed to youth employment to ensure holistic development.

Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, the 2020 Vice Presidential Candidate of the NDC, said Prof Mills’ legacy of unity, commonest of purpose, caring, trust, respect for everyone and tolerance would remain the cornerstone of the Party.

Prof Stephen Kendie from the University of Cape Coast raised issues with the management of the economy, saying: “Prof Atta Mills would never collateralise all state funds as is currently being done.”