“Integrity and service should be our greatest tribute to Mills” — President Mahama.

President John Dramani Mahama has called on Ghanaians to honour the memory of the late President John Evans Atta Mills by serving the nation with integrity, upholding democratic institutions, and showing tolerance and compassion for the vulnerable.

Speaking at the 14th anniversary wreath-laying ceremony held at Asomdwee Park, near the Osu Castle in Accra, President Mahama said the most fitting tribute to Professor Mills would go beyond annual commemorations. He urged Ghanaians to ensure that the nation's progress continues to reflect the values the late President cherished and lived by throughout his life and career.

The President observed that Professor Mills' legacy proved that kindness is not weakness, humility is not timidity, and decency is entirely compatible with effective statecraft.

"Fourteen years after Professor John Evans Atta Mills left us, I find that what endures most is not merely the memory of a President, but the memory of a man, a gentle soul whose character was his greatest strength," President Mahama said.

He noted that although time softens grief, it sharpens the memory of leaders whose greatest strength lies in quiet conviction rather than loud rhetoric.

"In today's world, where public discourse is often dominated by anger, division, and impatience, the life of President Mills reminds us that history ultimately judges leaders not by the volume of their voices, but by the depth of their convictions, not by the bitterness of political contests, but by the lasting impact of their service," he added.

President Mahama emphasised that public office remains a sacred trust, not a prize to be claimed, and pledged to continue walking in the footsteps of his late predecessor by ensuring that government decisions serve the public interest and strengthen the country's democratic institutions.

President Mahama laid a wreath on behalf of the government and people of Ghana. The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, laid a wreath on behalf of Parliament.

Additional wreaths were laid on behalf of former First Lady Mrs Ernestina Naadu Mills, the family of the late President, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs, and the J.E.A. Mills Memorial Heritage.

Professor John Evans Atta Mills served as Ghana's Vice President from 1996 to 2000 before becoming President in 2009. He died in office on July 24, 2012.