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A former Minister of Power, Dr Kwabena Donkor has described the late President of Ghana Prof John Evans Atta Mills as one who's love for Ghana is exceptional; because of that love, some members of his political party National Democratic Congress (NDC) are still angry with him for not persecuting his political opponents. 

According to him, Prof Mills made enemies because he loved Ghana hence if the government does not protect his legacy, the God he (Prof Mills) served will protect his legacy.

“The next generation will appreciate him better than we have done,” he said.

The Member of Parliament for Pru East stated that the late Prof Mills loved Ghana to the marrow.

Citing an incidence that best described the love of Prof Mills for Ghana, Dr Kwabena Donkor said when the 2004 general elections results pronounced by the late Jacob Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, some NDC sympathizers called for street protest but the late President said categorically that “He would not want a single blood to be shade just for him to be President and he coincided.”

“That is the calibre of the man, who will put Ghana’s interest before Political power and political aggrandizement” he reiterated.

Ghana marked exactly six-years after the demise of Prof John Evans Atta Mills on July 24, 2012. 

Born on 21 July 1944, at Tarkwa in the Western Region, the late President hailed from Ekumfi Otuam in the Mfantsiman East Constituency in the Central Region. At age 27, he was awarded his PhD after successfully defending his doctoral thesis in the area of taxation.

He lectured at the Faculty of Law and the Business School, both of the University of Ghana for over two decades, and author of a number of publications.

He was also a visiting professor at Temple Law School (Philadelphia, USA), Leiden University in the Netherlands and at the Liu Institute for Global Issues at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

He was a member of the Ghana Stock Exchange, and became Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service of Ghana, and named the National Tax Commissioner in September 1993.

The late President was also a distinguished sportsman and sports administrator, as he played hockey and was a member of Ghana’s National Hockey Team and later the Veterans Hockey Team. He was also a reputable swimmer as well.

On the political scene, the late President Mills was chosen as the running mate by former President Jerry John Rawlings, who was seeking re-election for a second term in office. 

They overwhelmingly won the 1996 election and the Professor became Vice President of Ghana from January 7, 1997, to January 6, 2001.

Between 2001 and 2008, Prof Mills became the de facto opposition leader and earned a reputation of decent politicking. He later became known as Asomdwehene, to wit, King of Peace.

On January 7, 2009, the late Prof Mills was sworn-in as Ghana’s third President of the Fourth Republic.

He was until his untimely death the presidential candidate for the NDC for the 2012 presidential election, after winning a challenged presidential primary by a remarkable 96.7 per cent.

Prof Mills is the first sitting leader in the history of the country to die in office.

He died on July 24, 2012, three days after his 68th birthday.