analysis
Accra — Late President John Evans Fiifi Atta
Mills was born on 21st July, 1944 in Tarkwa, Western Region of Ghana. An
Akan by birth, he had his early education at Achimota School, and
passed out in 1963 with an Advanced level certificate. Later he was at
the University of Ghana, Legon, where he completed a law degree in 1967.
Mills studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science and obtained a PhD in Law at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. He earned his doctorate at the age of 27.
Mills' professional career began at the Faculty of Law, University of Ghana. His teaching career at Legon and other institutes of higher learning spanned over 25 years.
In 1971, he was a beneficiary of the Fulbright Scholar programme at the Stanford Law School in the United States (U.S). He was a visiting professor at Leiden University (Holland). He became an associate professor of Law at the University of Ghana in 1992. He majored in the field of taxation and economic development and has authored several books on the subject.
Professor Mills' journey into public service began in 1986, when he was appointed the Acting Commissioner of Ghana's Internal Revenue Service under President Jerry John Rawlings. He was confirmed Commissioner in 1993 and he occupied the position until 1996.
Former President Rawlings picked Mills as his vice-president when he ran for a second term in office in 1996. Following the success of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDC) in that election, Mills served as Vice-President of Ghana between 1996 and 2000.
In 2000, Mills contested for President against New Patriotic Party (NPP)'s candidate, John Agyekum Kufour, who later clinched the position.
His bid for Presidency in 2004 against former President Kufour was also unsuccessful.
In 2008, Mills was pitched against NPP's Nana Akufo-Addo. The result of the first ballot put Akufo-Addo in a slim lead ahead of Mills. There was no clear leader and a run-off took place on December 28, 2008. Mills secured the presidency with 50.23 per cent of the vote to Akufo-Addo's 49.77 per cent.
The late president was running for the second term in office under the National Democratic Party later in December. His health status had occupied debates in the national political landscape. His supporters had always consistently denied the fact that the President was in a poor state of health. While the opposition maintained that he was mortally ill.
He was married to Ernestina Naadu Mills, an educationist and survived by an only son, Sam Kofi Atta Mills.
Mills studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science and obtained a PhD in Law at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. He earned his doctorate at the age of 27.
Mills' professional career began at the Faculty of Law, University of Ghana. His teaching career at Legon and other institutes of higher learning spanned over 25 years.
In 1971, he was a beneficiary of the Fulbright Scholar programme at the Stanford Law School in the United States (U.S). He was a visiting professor at Leiden University (Holland). He became an associate professor of Law at the University of Ghana in 1992. He majored in the field of taxation and economic development and has authored several books on the subject.
Professor Mills' journey into public service began in 1986, when he was appointed the Acting Commissioner of Ghana's Internal Revenue Service under President Jerry John Rawlings. He was confirmed Commissioner in 1993 and he occupied the position until 1996.
Former President Rawlings picked Mills as his vice-president when he ran for a second term in office in 1996. Following the success of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDC) in that election, Mills served as Vice-President of Ghana between 1996 and 2000.
In 2000, Mills contested for President against New Patriotic Party (NPP)'s candidate, John Agyekum Kufour, who later clinched the position.
His bid for Presidency in 2004 against former President Kufour was also unsuccessful.
In 2008, Mills was pitched against NPP's Nana Akufo-Addo. The result of the first ballot put Akufo-Addo in a slim lead ahead of Mills. There was no clear leader and a run-off took place on December 28, 2008. Mills secured the presidency with 50.23 per cent of the vote to Akufo-Addo's 49.77 per cent.
The late president was running for the second term in office under the National Democratic Party later in December. His health status had occupied debates in the national political landscape. His supporters had always consistently denied the fact that the President was in a poor state of health. While the opposition maintained that he was mortally ill.
He was married to Ernestina Naadu Mills, an educationist and survived by an only son, Sam Kofi Atta Mills.
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