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10.08.2012 Politics

Parliament pays tribute to the late President Mills

By GNA
Parliament pays tribute to the late President Mills
10.08.2012 LISTEN

Accra, Aug.10, GNA – Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Minority Leader on Thursday expressed regret at the sudden demise of the late President Mills saying the Minority did not have the opportunity to reconcile with him.

“My eternal regret and the sincerest regret of the Minority Caucus are with the fact that we did not have the opportunity to have reconciled with him as he accused us of insulting him on daily basis.”

He said “We would have assured him that the criticism of his administration was not meant to be insulting. I trust that we can reconcile in life. On our part we assure his spirit that we have not harboured any ill feeling towards him."

Mr Mensah-Bonsu made the observation on the floor of Parliament in a tribute in honour of the late President Mills.

He said the nation was indeed united in grief, noting that the late President Mills consistently spoke about the need for the nation to come together.

The Minority Leader called on Ghanaians to stand by the widow and son to strengthen them and not to forget them after these programmes of activities lined up.

He said the NDC on whose wings the late President Mills floated to become the President was not expecting what unfolded on Tuesday, July 24.

Mr Mensah-Bonsu said so far, with the support of Parliament and the Judiciary, the nation had managed well to set the tone for Election 2012, an event the late President Mills was until two weeks ago, warming up for.

He said what was unquestionable was the fact that the late President Mills entered the political stage of Ghana and played his part, just as President Kwame Nkrumah, Professor Kofi Abrefa Busia, Dr Hilla Limann, President Jerry John Rawlings and President John Agyekum Kufuor, before him had all done.

However, the Minority Leader questioned whether the late President Mills was a successful President, saying, posterity would be a better judge and not the poisonous see-nothing-good assailants and certainly not the vitriolic, acerbic, barbaric defence stars and cheerleaders.

Mr Cletus Apul Avoka, Majority Leader said the late President Mills' short time in office had introduced another dimension to the game of politics in the country.

He said it was often said, politics was a dirty game but the late President Mills held the belief and demonstrated same in practical terms that; one could play clean politics irrespective of creed, religion, ethnicity or party affiliation.

Mr Avoka eulogised the late President Mills saying, he was a modest, humble, tolerant, listening politician and was always calm in the face of even extreme provocation.

He said the glowing tributes paid to his memory by world leaders and Ghanaians bore testimony that he did not only bring life and smiles to the millions of Ghanaians but also represented hope to many.

"Human as he was, his Better Ghana Agenda might not have been felt and experienced by all but he no doubt prepared the grounds and laid the foundation to bring smiles to many Ghanaians. He might have been unable to wipe out the sadness of everyone but his death certainly saddened all and sundry, both foe and friends," Mr Avoka added.

He commended the late President Mills for seeing to the steady work and near completion of Job 600, adding that, last week, Parliament approved a loan agreement for construction of constituency offices for Parliamentarians.

Mr Avoka noted that it was the dream of the late President Mills to deepen democracy and good governance in the country, adding that, the best tribute to be paid him as a country was to be committed to free, fair and peaceful Election 2012 and beyond.

“I pray for God's blessing and fortitude for the widow, Mrs Dr Ernestina Naadu Mills and the family that the good Lord will lead them through these most difficult times."

GNA

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