Mills would have been ashamed of Ghana’s galamsey crisis, partisan politics – Charlotte Osei

Thirteen years after the passing of Ghana’s former President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, concerns over the country’s political and environmental direction have taken centre stage in tributes marking his legacy.

At a commemorative lecture held in his honour on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, former Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei, delivered a sobering reflection on how the values President Mills championed are increasingly being eroded by the current state of governance.

Addressing the auditorium during the 13th John Evans Atta Mills Memorial Lecture in Accra, Charlotte Osei noted with disappointment that if the late president were alive today, he would be outraged by the deepening environmental degradation, particularly the unchecked menace of illegal mining—popularly referred to as galamsey—and the divisive, toxic tone of partisan politics.

“I have wondered many times if Prof would be happy with us,” Osei said. “I think he would be outraged at how we are permitting galamsey to damage our environment and our future. It stands in direct opposition to the responsible leadership he embodied

Prof. Mills, who served as President of Ghana from 2009 until his sudden death in 2012, was widely regarded as a principled and peace-loving leader who prioritized national unity, social justice, and the rule of law.

Under his leadership, Ghana enjoyed relative political stability and maintained strong macroeconomic indicators despite global economic uncertainties at the time.

Charlotte Osei, who served as EC Chair during the mid-2010s, described Mills as a man of integrity, humility, and discipline.

She lamented that the increasing polarization in Ghana’s democratic space is far removed from Mills’ ethos of inclusion and decency in public discourse.

“In an era where our political landscape has become sharply divided and venomous, one can only imagine how disheartened he would be by the rise in toxic partisanship,” she said.

Yet, the former EC boss also acknowledged moments of hope and progress that would have warmed the late leader’s heart.

She pointed to the personal resilience of his family—particularly his wife—and the growing impact of his former students and mentees, many of whom now hold influential roles in business, politics, and public service.

“Prof would be proud that many of his learners and mentees are today leading lights in the legislature, the executive, and corporate Ghana. He would certainly be pleased that the party for which he gave so much is once again in government, and that Ghana now has its first female Vice President,” Osei remarked.

The commemorative lecture formed part of a series of events organised annually by the John Evans Atta Mills Memorial Heritage to reflect on the life and leadership of the late president, while promoting dialogue on democratic governance, peacebuilding, and national development.