Mills' Family Reacts To Rawlings' Comments

President John Evans Atta Mills

The nuclear and extended family of the late President, John Atta Mills, has condemned former President Jerry Rawlings to what they described as in-humane and uncustomary comments about the ill health of the late President, who passed away Tuesday.

According to them, the family had over the last three years endured with pain constant harassment, insults and derogatory comments on the late leader’s personality.

Mr Rawlings in a BBC interview, said President Mills’s death could have been avoided had he been advised and done something wiser

“Although President Mills had been battling with cancer for quite some time, his death came at the wrong time because “we have elections in December”, Mr Rawlings told the BBC.

The family has taken exception to those comments, which they said have the potential of fueling internal conflict.

A statement issued by head of the Mills and allied families of Cape Coast and Ekumfi, in the Central Region, Abusuapanyin Nkuma-Kyereba Twidan said the undignified insults by Mr Rawlings on the persona of the late president could no longer be tolerated.

“We are provoked to face up with those whose minds continue to ferment such uncouth, derogatory, uncensored insults and from those whose lips spew them”, the statement said.

The statement stressed that, Professor Mills until his death was sane, full of wisdom and capable of sound judgement.

“Our son died in bed, at peace with himself and with dignity in the eyes of equally well thinking men”, the statement echoed, adding that the family is restrained by the spontaneous, sincere display of sympathy and sorrow shown by Ghanaians from diverse political, religious and cultural persuasion ”.

Quoting an African proverb, which states “If a man climbs up a rotten tree intending to make it his castle, do not be tempted to join him or be drawn into an argument with him”, they pleaded for restraint among supporters and sympathisers of the late leader, whose sensitivities were touched by what they described as “reckless” comments.