Atta-Mills sworn in as president of Ghana

John Atta-Mills hailed the “dawn of a new era” on Wednesday as he was sworn in as Ghana’s new president amid ceremonial drumbeats at a ceremony attended by several African heads of state.

“It is a dawn of a new era for Ghana and I hope to tap the experiences of the two former presidents ... to build a better Ghana,” he said, referring to the outgoing John Kufuor and his predecessor, Jerry Rawlings.

Clad in a white gown with Ghanaian traditional Kente cloth draped over the top, the 64-year-old Atta-Mills took his oath of office amid celebrations in the main square of the capital, Accra.

“During the elections Ghana’s democracy was stretched to the limits but at the end of the day the sovereign will of the people prevailed,” he said, referring to a closely contested election in which he beat off the challenge of rival Nana Akuffo-Addo.

He was sworn in one month to the day after the first round of the presidential election on December 7.—AFP