Former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has praised the character and leadership of late President John Evans Atta Mills.

Speaking at the 14th Commemorative Lecture in honour of Professor John Evans Atta Mills on Wednesday, July 22, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng revealed that he was dismissed twice during President Mills’ administration, despite not being a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

According to him, his first dismissal came in January 2009, shortly after President Mills assumed office, when he was removed as Chairman of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC).

"I never belonged to Professor Mills’ party, and twice he dismissed me. The first dismissal was in January 2009 on radio, one of the earliest announcements of his presidency," he said.

Prof. Frimpong-Boateng said he learnt of his removal through a radio announcement, despite reports at the time that his leadership of PURC had been exemplary.

He added that his second dismissal occurred in 2011 when he was removed from his position at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

"The second dismissal was in person. I received a dismissal letter from Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, the Minister for Health, on August 25th, 2011," he recounted.

He said the former President later visited Korle Bu Teaching Hospital on August 30, 2011, accompanied by a medical professor who chaired the hospital’s board, to confirm that he had vacated his office.

However, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng said those experiences did not diminish his respect for the late president, but rather reinforced his belief in his integrity.

"But I stand here anyway, not just by those dismissals, but in a sense because of them. They are my credentials," he stated.

"A man who was removed twice by President Mills has no motive to flatter his memory. If I speak well of him, it is not because I owe him anything, it is because I knew him."

The former minister said his admiration for Professor Mills was based on personal encounters with him years before he became president.

"I knew Professor Mills from three encounters, 11 years before the presidency touched him. And in those three meetings, I came to know exactly who he was, a very good person, a good man," he said.