Mahama recounts day Atta-Mills died

Former President John Mahama yesterday, Sunday July 24, posted on his Facebook page, a video of himself narrating a firsthand personal account on events that happened on the day his predecessor, Professor John Evens Atta-Mills died in office as President of Ghana on July 24, 2012, when he , Mahama, was Vice President.

Mr. Mahama said it was the first time he is speaking in public about the day Professor Atta-Mills died.

He was speaking under the theme “The man John Evans Atta Mills – 10 Years On” during the launch of the John Evans Atta-Mills Memorial Heritage  established to honour the legacy of Prof. Atta-Mills as one of Ghana’s most reputable Presidents.

Here is a transcript of how John Mahama narrated events of July 24, 2012:

“On that dull and hazy overcast day of 24^th July 2012, death unexpectedly snatched him from us, leaving a shocked nation in sorry, anguish and in tears. And the following reminiscences are the first time I am talking publicly about this sad event.

“That fateful day, I had been alerted that I would be asked to act as President because Prof.  was likely to travel to Nigeria.

“I was informed by his Secretary, Sir James Bebaako Mensah that he had requested specifically that I stand in for him at the official launch of the Brand Ghana Project, which was to take place at the International Conference Centre. I attended that function with the Chief of Staff, Mr. John Martey Newman

“Upon our return to the Castle, which at that time was still the seat of government; as I proceeded to my office, I asked Chief of Staff, Martey Newman to inform Prof. that I was going to cross over and see him to discuss a few important issues after meeting with a former President who was waiting in my office.

“Moments after our return, the Chief of Staff called me frantically and said that Prof had been rushed to the 37 Military Hospital in an emergency. I wrapped up my meeting with the former President and prepared my staff to rush to the hospital. It was then that Sir James Bebaako Mensah entered my office, and delivered the devastating news.  Prof dead? How? How can Prof die? Were the questions I asked. The world came to a standstill.

“Nothing in my political life and experience had prepared me for a moment like this. The shelter I have been working under Prof had been a wonderful experience. His death left me in trepidation of stepping up to the plate, realising the huge responsibility one was stepping into and that the back was going to stop with me, and no one else.

“The swearing in ceremony was a blur and I struggled to complete my acceptance speech without breaking down in front of a sorrowful nation. When I left the podium, I missed my way back. I went and sat back in my Vice Presidential seat until the uproar from the MPs reminded me that I had sworn the Presidential oath and should move to the ceremonial Presidential seat.

“The rest is history to be narrated at another appropriate time”, John Mahama narrated.

John Evans Atta-Mills Memorial Heritage

The John Atta Mills Memorial Heritage,  launched in February this year, is to immortalise the persona and legacy of the late former President John Evans Atta Mills.

The event was attended by high-profile dignitaries, including former President John Mahama and representatives of former President John Agyekum Kufuor and President Nana Akufo-Addo.

It also brought together friends, family members and former government appointees who served under the Atta-Mills led Presidency and academics he worked with at the University of Ghana.

Also present were leading members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the party on whose ticket both John Mahama and the late Prof. Mills became President.