Ghana President John Atta Mills Dies

Ghana president John Atta Mills died on July 24 three days after his 68th birthday. He has been succeeded by Vice-President John Dramani Mahama.

Mahama said upon being inaugurated in parliament: "This is the saddest day in our nation's history. Tears have engulfed our nation and we are deeply saddened and distraught. I never imagined that one day that it would place our nation in such a difficult circumstance. I'm personally devastated, I've lost a father, I've lost a friend, I've lost a mentor and a senior comrade. Ghana is united in grief at this time for our departed president."

"It is with a heavy heart that we announce the sudden and untimely death of the president of the Republic of Ghana," wrote Reuters.

He trained as a lawyer at the University of Ghana and as a taxation expert at the London School of Economics and the University of London, UK. Mills, president since 2009, has overseen Ghana's emergence with serious economic growth, winning plaudits both at home and abroad for his sound economic policies and commitment to democracy and good governance.

Aged 68, he provoked rumours about possible ill-health by travelling last month to the US for medical treatment of throat cancer.
The president's office said that Mills died a few hours after being taken ill, but no further details were given.

He enjoyed field hockey and swimming and was married to Ernestina Naadu Mills, an educator, and has a son, Sam Kofi Atta Mills.