The President of Ghana, John Atta Mills, is dead at 68.
July 25, 2012- John Atta Mills, the president of Ghana, died suddenly Tuesday. Mills had just recently received praise from the international community for his stable democracy in Ghana. Following Mills’ death, the vice president of the country was sworn in as the new president. On Saturday, Mills turned 68 and his death came just months prior to him attempting to be re-elected.
Ghana is the world’s second largest producer of cocoa and a large producer of gold and oil. The office of the president in Ghana announced Mills’ death. The prepared statement said Mills had take ill during the day Tuesday and died shortly thereafter, but not further details were released.
One of the president’s aides, who asked for his name not to be mentioned, said Mills had complained of pains Monday evening and died early in the afternoon on Tuesday.
John Dramani Mahama, the vice president under Mills was sworn in as the president per the constitution in Ghana. Mahama is 53 and took his oath in front of a very somber parliament just hours after Mills’ death was announced.
Analyst said that the quick action taken to swear in Mahama was an example of how well the political institutions in the country were working. They feel the country will remain stable and the transition will be smooth.
Mills’ health had been rumored to be bad and he had just returned a couple of weeks ago from medical checks in the U.S. Some newspapers in Ghana thought he had throat cancer, while other reports said it was a sinus affliction.
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