The former Member of Parliament for the Asokwa Constituency in the Ashanti Region has expressed sadness at the developments with regards to the renaming of the National Hockey Stadium after the late President John Evans Atta Mills.
According to Maxwell Kofi Jumah also known as Kofi Ghana, it is a shame that an award to no mean a person than the designer of the National Flag and the Hockey lover, Madam Theodosia Okoh is being “snatched” from her.
“I am sad because President Mills is being remembered for his peaceful and meek nature but what is happening to this Stateswoman, is a direct opposite of what we know President Mills to be…it is sad,” he told Peace FM.
Kofi Ghana’s comment comes on the back of a public outcry after over the renaming of the National Hockey stadium by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).
The Assembly changed the name in honour of late President John Evans Atta Mills and to commemorate his one year of passing on.
However, this was greeted with outrage by the general public after “Chairman General” Kwame Sefa-Kayi, celebrated host of “Kokrokoo” programme on Peace Fm, and cited that it was already named after Theodosia Okoh.
Nonetheless, Alfred Oko Vanderpuiye, the Metropolitan Chief Executive of Accra was of the view that “the pitch has been named after her (Madam Theodosia) but the stadium is in the name of the late Professor. The facility in the stadium and the whole environment has been named after him (President Mills)…the hockey stadium is now going to be known as Prof John Evans Atta Mills Hockey Stadium but when you enter the stadium, the pitch is there and that will be in her name: (Madam Theodosia Okoh Pitch). It has not changed”.
But Kofi Ghana insists that the renaming of the Hockey Stadium is a slap in the face of patriotism and a direct opposite of the nature and demeanor of the late President John Evans Atta Mills.
Government has asked the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to rescind its decision to name the National Hockey Pitch after late President John Evans Atta Mills.
According to sources, the Chief of Staff, Prosper Bani summoned AMA authorities on Thursday and gave them the presidential order to immediately reverse the renaming of the national hockey pitch.
It is believed the presidency was not informed before the decision was taken.
A statement issued by the Presidency on Thursday July 25, 2013, said the presidency ordered the reversal of the name-change because there was no prior notification.
The AMA has come under hot fire after the assembly decided to change the name of the National Hockey Pitch from “Theodosia Okoh National Hockey Pitch” to “John Evans Atta Mills National Hockey Stadium”.