Ghana swears in new president once leader's death

Ghanaian officers swore in a replacement president tuesday, hours when the death of the west african nation's leader.
john evans atta mills died suddenly at a military hospital tuesday afternoon a couple of hours when becoming ill, chief of staff john henry martey newman said in an exceedingly statement. he was 68.
in an exceedingly ceremony broadcast on state tv, john dramani mahama -- formerly ghana's vice president -- became the country's new president and ordered that flags be flown at half-staff for every week.
"this is that the saddest day in our nation's history. tears have engulfed our nation and we're deeply saddened and distraught. i never imagined that at some point i'll address our nation in such tough circumstances, " mahama said. "i'm personally devastated. i have lost a father, i have lost a fan, i have lost a mentor and a senior comrade. "
opinion : mills' election victory was a 'victory for democracy in an exceedinglyfrica'

john dramani mahama was sworn in an exceedinglys ghana's new president tuesday.
officers failed to specify what caused mills' death. the president had denied rumors regarding his health for months.
"does my continued living pose a threat to a few individuals ?" he told reporters at a january event, in line with the state-run ghana news agency.
on june 25, he returned from a medical checkup within the us, the news agency reported.
mills was a former law professor and a tax professional. he was ghana's vice president from 1997 to twenty00.
before his political career, he taught at the university of ghana and conjointly was a visiting lecturer at temple university in pennsylvania and leiden university within the netherlands.
mills ran for president unsuccessfully in 2000 and 2004 before narrowly winning a runoff in 2009.
mills' death came many days when he celebrated his 68th birthday. he had said he would run for re-election in december.
in an exceedingly statement browse on his behalf by ghana's info minister monday, mills said his government had targeted on developing the nation's economy, in line with the ghana news agency.
"we created a promise to expand our country's infrastructural base in support of our economy take-off, " the statement said. "we conjointly set to take a position within the individuals of our country thus on create them competitive each locally and abroad. "
mahama said tuesday that mills was a "prince of peace" who "brought a distinctive insight into ghanaian politics. "
the opposition new patriotic party expressed condolences in an exceedingly statement tuesday.
"we join the nation in mourning this sad loss to ghana, " the statement said.
u. s. president barack obama met with mills when he visited ghana in july 2009. obama praised the country as a model for democracy and stability when mills visited washington this year.
"ghana has become a wonderful success story economically on the continent, " obama said. "in half due to the initiatives of president mills, you've seen high growth rates over the last many years. food productivity and food security is up. there is been sturdy foreign investment. "
in an exceedingly statement tuesday, british prime minister david cameron described mills as "a tireless defender of democracy in west africa and across the continent. "
a part of a former british colony, ghana was among the primary african countries to gain independence, in 1957. it endured a series of coups before a military dictator, jerry rawlings, took power in 1981. rawlings led ghana through a transition to democracy regarding ten years later.
mahama, 53, may be a former member of ghana's parliament who has served as director of communication for the national democratic congress party.
on tuesday, the new president referred to as on ghanaians to respect mills' legacy.
"our finest tribute to him at this moment is to maintain the unity and stability of our nation, " mahama said.
obama hailed ghana as 'model for democracy'