Atta Mills Institute to engage in civic education activities
The Founder of the Atta Mills Institute (AMI), Mr Koku Anyidoho, has stated that the institute will engage in extensive civic education programmes and activities that will predispose the mindset of Ghanaians towards the transformation of the country.
According to him, educating Ghanaians about their civic responsibilities was very critical and necessary towards achieving national goals and aspirations.
Towards that end, he said, the AMI would augment the efforts of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) to instill good values into the citizenry and build a unique identity for national growth.
He said inculcating positive and responsible national values in Ghanaians would be powerful tools that would enable the citizenry to make meaningful contributions towards making the society a better place for all.
Interview
Speaking in a telephone interview with the Daily Graphic on Thursday, Mr Anyidoho, who is a former deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) indicated that the institute was poised to engage in a series of activities, including seminars and symposia, with the aim of empowering the citizenry to be good citizens.
“The AMI has been established solely to keep the rich and glowing legacy of late Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, the former President of Ghana, alive all over the world,” he added.
The institute on July 23, 2019 held its maiden seminar in Accra on the theme: “Giving hope to building a better Ghana through mindset transformation.”
Protect Prof. Mills’ legacy
Mr Anyidoho, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the AMI, noted that as it was the norm the world over, that foundations or institutes were set up to espouse the solid legacies of late and living presidents in order to protect their visions and memories towards the growth of their respective countries.
He stated that the institute had come to stay to add on to already existing foundations in the country such as Rawlings, Aliu Mahama, Kufuor and Amissah-Arthur foundations, who are all contributing in diverse ways to make the nation better for the citizenry.
He mentioned that the legacies of late Prof. Mills as teacher, lecturer, sportsman, sports administrator, tax expert, reformist, transformational leader, politician and statesman stood tall and would be told to the world.
He described his late boss as a genius who brought total transformation to the political landscape which helped to reduce the politics of vilification and vindictiveness which had been the culture in the past.
Source of funding
Responding to how the institute’s activities would be funded, he noted that the institute which was apolitical would make formal appeals to institutions and public- spirited individuals who believed in the legacies and values of the late Ghanaian leader for financial and other logistical support.
“It is undoubtedly clear that the institute will need funds to run its programme of activities towards its sustenance”, stressing that the AMI would largely depend on the benevolence of some key individuals to raise enough funds to fund its activities towards achieving its objectives.
He called on well-meaning Ghanaians across the political divide who believed in the ideals and values of late Prof. Mills to come on board and support the institute to protect the good works of the former Ghanaian leader.
He explained further that the institute would in the months ahead pay courtesy calls on individuals and institutions towards building and forging positive alliances with key stakeholders in its quest to deliver on its mandate.
Mr Anyidoho added that the institute had not been set up to pursue any agenda for any political party, as its major focus was to engage in activities towards achieving a better Ghana that was espoused by late Prof Mills as President of Ghana.