The Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, has endorsed the request by the family of the late President John Evans Atta Mills for the autopsy report, emphasising that obtaining it would bring finality and clarity to the unresolved questions surrounding his death.
At a press briefing yesterday, Mr. Asamoah Boateng expressed support for the Ministry’s involvement, as well as the plea from Nana Enyimfua III, Kyedomhem of Ekumfi Asaman, for an autopsy report on Mills’ death.
“What’s wrong about the family requesting an autopsy report? Is there something in the autopsy report that is irking someone?” he asked.
He stressed the need for transparency, especially considering the mysterious circumstances surrounding President Mills’ demise.
“The circumstances surrounding his demise are shrouded in mystery. Some people don’t want it to be mentioned. They want to cloud it. They see it as an attack. That’s why it is a fact that Mills didn’t die as an ordinary person but as a sitting President, and it was for public record. We need it. It must be recorded,” he emphasised.
Claims, questions
Responding to claims that someone possesses the autopsy report, the Chieftaincy Minister urged transparency.
“Somebody said he has got the autopsy report; show it. I also heard it’s in the AMA, and I’ve checked, and there’s nothing there. But the person talking about it is a sibling. If, indeed, he has it, show it to the Abusuapanin and the entire family. What are people hiding?” he wondered.
Mr. Asamoah Boateng believes that obtaining the autopsy report is crucial for providing guidance in handling similar situations involving public figures in the future.
“Let’s have a guide. Rumours as to when and where Mills died are still not clean. For instance, some say he died in the booth of somebody’s car. Somebody said he was left in the maternity ward. Somebody said he died in his arms,” he indicated.
Mr. Asamoah Boateng raised questions about the conflicting accounts, asking “If Mills died in your arms at the Castle, which was in the morning, how come the Chief of Staff then issued a statement at 1:30 pm at the hospital? So, he was taken to the hospital as a corpse? Then who is telling the truth?”
Facilitating role
The Minister further explained that the delegation, led by the Abusuapanin and Obaahene, to the Jubilee House sought only to express gratitude for the government’s renovation of the Asomdwe Park to a befitting level.
The Minister revealed that during the courtesy call, the Ekumfi chiefs expressed disappointment with former President Mahama, stating that he did not fulfill promises he made to them during his term in office.
“It was a serious matter of soliciting for help from President Akufo-Addo. It wasn’t intended to denigrate anybody. Of course, the matter veered off into another area of critical concern to the traditional family,” the Minister explained.
The visit
He emphasised that the visit was rooted in tradition, reflecting gratitude for the renovation of the Asomdwe Park, which serves as the resting place of the late President Mills.
The Minister said that the late Prof Mills, having served as the President, did not die as an ordinary person, and the responsibility of continuing development in Ekumfi fell on those who succeed him.
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