Mills defends JJ

Prof. J. E. A. Mills, the former Vice President, has stoutly defended his boss, Mr. J. J. Rawlings, over the issue of breach of state of emergency in the Dagbon Traditional Area.

Prof. Mills, who was in the Brong Ahafo Region, to solicit support for his presidential ambition, remarked that the alleged breach of the state of emergency levelled against Rawlings is merely propaganda and steps taken to restrict the movements of the former head of state.

Mr. Rawlings’ alleged breach of the state of emergency imposed on Dagbon occurred last Saturday, according to a section of the media that carried stories on it.

The former head of state reportedly rode in a motorcade through the principal streets of Tamale, receiving cheers from NDC sympathisers. Rawlings who was on his way to Walewale to attend the funeral of Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, the immediate past chairman of the Council of State, stopped by for a visit to the Gulkpe-Na, The chief was out of town.

But, instead of entering and leaving quietly, Rawlings sent an advance team to Tamale to mobilise support for him, knowing fully well that any gathering or procession would be in breach of the state of emergency. The emergency had been slapped on Dagbon, following the murder of the Ya-Na late last March.

According to Atta Mills, fear had gripped the NPP government, because of the huge NDC crowd that welcomed Rawlings into Tamale and its environs.

The ex-vice president expressed shock over the issue, explaining that having been a former head of state, Rawlings had to pay a courtesy call on the owners of the land but that did not mean he had broken the rules of the land.

He said, “as a former national leader, it is possible that, your followers would follow you and you cannot drive them away”, he stressed. Mills cited himself as an example, that at Techiman when he went to visit the chiefs and the elders of the Techiman Traditional Council, there were a lot of party supporters following him and he could not drive them away.

“It is the same thing that occurred at Tamale when ex-President Rawlings visited the chiefs of the area”, he added.

Prof. Mills who was speaking in an interview explained that it was not the intention of Rawlings to go there to address any durbar or rally.

On Kufuor’s visit to Upper West and East regions, Prof. Mills said, “he is the president of the country and all his programmes are being drawn to suit his activities and for that reason I did not see anything wrong with the president’s delay of visiting the two regions.”

He, however, stated that it is quite important for the president to visit the area, because it forms part of the country.