A former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, has paid glowing tribute to the late President Professor John Evans Atta Mills, describing him as a mentor whose guidance played a key role in shaping her political journey.

Speaking at the 14th Atta Mills Commemorative Lecture at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) on July 23, 2026, Hannah Tetteh said she was privileged to have known the former president as both a university lecturer and a political mentor.

“I was privileged to have His Excellency President John Evans Atta Mills as my lecturer in university. He taught me commercial law, and he taught me tax law.

"I was also privileged to have him as a mentor when he became our presidential candidate because without him, I don't think I would have succeeded in my first election in the year 2000 and have become a young Member of Parliament, a young politician and the rest of what has happened in my life till date. He gave me a tremendous amount of support and even though we were not successful in that election in winning the presidency, it was his hands that guided me", she stated.

Hanna Tetteh also reflected on her role as Director of Communications for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the 2008 election campaign, describing the opportunity to work with the late president as a defining moment in her political life.

"..And when I had the opportunity to work with him in the 2008 election campaign as the Director for communications for the NDC party, I thought that it was indeed an incredible opportunity given to someone who at that time was relatively young to be an important part of making history", she stated.

According to her, the decision by UPSA to establish a centre of excellence in honour of the late president was a fitting recognition of his values and leadership style.

“A centre of excellence under the name of a leader who lived his values of service, professionalism, commitment and excellence is indeed an opportunity to give meaning to good governance within the context of Ghanaian history,” she said.

The former Foreign Affairs Minister described Prof Mills as a humble and selfless leader who avoided drawing attention to his achievements and instead focused on teamwork and delivering for Ghanaians.

She said the late president’s administration prioritised investing in people, growing the economy, and maintaining transparency and accountability in governance.

“For the short period that he was our president, he certainly lived and led that aspiration,” Hannah Tetteh added.

Prof Atta Mills was Ghana’s third president under the Fourth Republic.

He died on July 24, 2012, after serving as president from 2009 until his death.

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