John Atta Mills Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ==Politics== ===Vice-President of Ghana=== For the [[1992 Ghanaian presidential election|inaugural presidential election in 1992]], the [[National Convention Party (Ghana)|National Convention Party]] (NCP) had formed an alliance with the [[National Democratic Congress (Ghana)|National Democratic Congress]] (NDC). Former [[Provisional National Defence Council]] (PNDC) Chairman, and leader of Ghana, Flight-Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings chose the NCP leader, [[Kow Nkensen Arkaah]], as his running-mate for vice-president. Having been elected in the 1992 election, Arkaah served between 1992 and 1996. However, on 29 January 1996, the NCP broke with the NDC. Arkaah with the [[National Convention Party (Ghana)|National Convention Party]] formed the Great Alliance with the [[New Patriotic Party]] and was subsequently nominated as the running mate of [[John Agyekum Kufuor]] to challenge the [[National Democratic Congress (Ghana)|National Democratic Congress]]. Rawlings selected Mills for the vacated Vice-Presidency in his bid for re-election to a second term in the election and was re-elected to his second term in office, serving from 1996 to 2000. In his capacity as vice-president, he served as the Chairman of the Police Council of Ghana and the Chairman of the Economic Management Team. ===Presidential elections=== [[File:Mills Obama Billboard.jpg|thumb|left|President Mills featured on a billboard with Former US President [[Barack Obama]]]] In 2000, Mills became the NDC's candidate for the [[2000 Ghanaian presidential election|2000 presidential election]] after Rawlings had served his constitutionally mandated terms as president. The main rival for Mills' own bid for the presidency was [[John Agyekum Kufuor]], who was running as the candidate for the opposition [[New Patriotic Party]] (NPP). In the heat of the 2000 presidential campaign, Mills was roundly criticized for statements that if elected he would consult with Rawlings daily.<ref name="britannica.com">{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1508745/John-Evans-Atta-Mills |title=John Evans Atta Mills |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430121659/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1508745/John-Evans-Atta-Mills |archive-date=30 April 2011 }}</ref> In the first round, held on 7 December 2000, Mills gained 44.8% of the vote, Kufuor won the first round with 48.4%, thus forcing a second round. On 28 December 2000, Kufuor defeated Mills with 56.9% of the vote and was sworn in as president on 7 January 2001. In December 2002, Mills was elected by his party to be its flag bearer and lead them into the [[2004 Ghanaian presidential election|2004 election]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Fact File : John Evans Atta Mills |url=http://www.attamills2008.com/about.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707184219/http://www.attamills2008.com/about.html |archive-date=7 July 2011 |access-date=26 July 2012 |publisher=AttaMills2008}}</ref> He was, however, defeated again by incumbent president John Agyekum Kufuor, who received 52.45% of the vote on the first ballot. On 21 December 2006, he became the NDC's candidate for the [[2008 Ghanaian presidential election|2008 presidential election]], winning his party's ticket by an 81.4% result (1,362 votes), far ahead of his opponents, [[Ekwow Spio-Garbrah]], [[Mahama Iddrisu|Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu]], and [[Edward Annan|Eddie Annan]].<ref name="NDC">{{cite web|url=http://www.attamills2008.com/site/?page_id=2 |title=John Atta Mills & John Mahama – The Change We Deserve |publisher=National Democratic Congress |access-date=25 January 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201181245/http://www.attamills2008.com/site/?page_id=2 |archive-date=1 February 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|date=22 December 2006|title=NDC Congress Results-Prof Wins|url=https://www.modernghana.com/news/120781/1/ndc-congress-results-prof-wins.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081019191841/http://www.modernghana.com/GhanaHome/NewsArchive/news_details.asp?t=mg&id=VFZSSmQwNTZaM2c9&menu_id=1&sub_menu_id=0|archive-date=19 October 2008|access-date=24 July 2012|website=|publisher=modernghana.com}}</ref> In the 2008 election, [[John Agyekum Kufuor]] was no longer eligible to run as president, having served two terms. It was during this time that the term ''[[Better Ghana Agenda]]'' was coined. During the 2008 elections, in an attempt to change the public perception at the time that he would be a political lackey of his former mentor, [[Jerry Rawlings]] when elected, he distanced himself from his previous comments made in the 2000 campaign .<ref name="britannica.com"/> Mills' main opponent from the [[New Patriotic Party]] was now [[Nana Akufo-Addo]]. Mills ran under the campaign slogan of "A Better Man for a Better Ghana," on a platform of change. He said: "People are complaining. They're saying that their standard of living has deteriorated these past eight years. So if Ghana is a model of growth, it's not translating into something people can feel."<ref name="aljaz2"/> The result of the first ballot had Akufo-Addo in front with 49.13% of the vote to Mills' 47.92%, however, a run-off second round of voting was needed. The second round of voting took place on 28 December 2008. The result was a slim lead held by Mills, but due to problems with the distribution of ballots, the [[Tain]] constituency, located in the [[Brong-Ahafo Region]], was forced to vote again on 2 January 2009. The final result was a victory by Mills with 50.23% of the vote to Akufo-Addo's 49.77%. Mills became the third president of the 4th Republic of Ghana.<ref name="bbcbio" /> Self-described as a [[social democrat]] who believed in the concept of [[social welfare]] espoused by [[Kwame Nkrumah]] (independent Ghana's first leader), Mills embraced a political platform that was more comprehensive and less divisive than that of either Nkrumah or Rawlings. John Atta Mills was sworn in as president on 7 January 2009 in a peaceful transition after Akufo-Addo was narrowly defeated.<ref>Emmanuel Gyimah-Boadi, "The 2008 Freedom House Survey: Another Step Forward for Ghana." ''Journal of Democracy'' 20.2 (2009): 138-152 [https://muse.jhu.edu/article/262756/summary excerpt].</ref> His persistence and determination paid off when he won the 2008 presidential poll.<ref name="britannica.com"/> ===Presidency=== {{Main|Presidency of John Atta Mills}} [[File:MiguelJorgeeJohnAttaMills.JPG|thumb|right|240px|President Mills on a meeting with the Minister of Development of Brazil, Miguel Jorge]] Amongst his accomplishments as president was presiding over and initiating Ghana's first ever foray into oil production, after oil was discovered in commercial quantities under his predecessor, John Kufuor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11996983 |title=Ghana oil begins pumping for first time |date=15 December 2010 |work=BBC News |access-date=24 July 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902051028/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11996983 |archive-date=2 September 2012 }}</ref> He was also credited for growth in other sectors of the economy during his tenure. He was the first incumbent president to be re-nominated for an election for his party via a primary.<ref name="aljaz2"/> Some of the monumental achievements chalked during his term of office include: ====Economy==== Under Mills, Ghana's stable economy experienced sustained reduced inflation leading to the attainment of single digit inflation of about 8.4%<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mofep.gov.gh/?q=news/120811 |title=Ghana Records Lowest Inflation in Years |publisher=Ministry of Finance – Ghana |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202231618/http://www.mofep.gov.gh/?q=news%2F120811 |archive-date=2 December 2013 }}</ref> (one of the lowest inflation rates Ghana had attained in 42 years i.e. period between 1970 and 2012 as well as the lowest since June 1992 just before the start of Ghana's Fourth Republic) from a high of 18.1% in December 2008.<ref name="ghanaweb1">{{cite web |date=30 November 2001 |title=Achievements of Professor Evans Atta Mills Led NDC Government | Feature Article 9 January 2011 |url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=200903 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203010452/http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=200903 |archive-date=3 December 2013 |access-date=27 September 2012 |publisher=Ghanaweb.}}</ref> This is indicative of prudent fiscal, monetary and other austerity policy measures that characterised his presidency to put the economy in healthy shape. The Ghanaian currency, the [[Cedi]] also stabilised as a result of these policies. In 2011, Ghana was the fastest growing economy in the world at 20.15% for the first half of the year and 14.4% at the end of the financial year according to the [[International Monetary Fund]] and EconomyWatch.com.<ref>{{cite web |date=11 August 2011 |title=Ghana is currently the world's fastest growing economy in 2011 |url=http://www.cp-africa.com/2011/08/11/ghana-is-currently-the-worlds-fastest-growing-economy-in-2011/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120814072058/http://www.cp-africa.com/2011/08/11/ghana-is-currently-the-worlds-fastest-growing-economy-in-2011/ |archive-date=14 August 2012 |access-date=27 September 2012 |publisher=Cp-africa}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ventures-africa.com/2012/08/the-7-fastest-growing-economies-in-africa/ |title=The 7 Fastest Growing Economies in Africa |publisher=Ventures Africa |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130708044807/http://www.ventures-africa.com/2012/08/the-7-fastest-growing-economies-in-africa/ |archive-date=8 July 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cp-africa.com/2011/08/11/ghana-is-currently-the-worlds-fastest-growing-economy-in-2011/ |title=Ghana is currently the world's fastest growing economy in 2011 |publisher=Celebrating Progress Africa |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120814072058/http://www.cp-africa.com/2011/08/11/ghana-is-currently-the-worlds-fastest-growing-economy-in-2011/ |archive-date=14 August 2012 }}</ref> Moreover, Ghana's budget deficit was reduced to 2% of the Gross Domestic Product during his tenure compared to 14.5% of GDP in 2008, just before he was elected as the [[President of Ghana]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Ghana: Mills' State of the Nation address, arrest of drug barons reported |url=http://www.afriquejet.com/ghana-mills-state-of-the-nation-address-arrest-of-drug-barons-reported-2012021833631.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220061326/http://www.afriquejet.com/ghana-mills-state-of-the-nation-address-arrest-of-drug-barons-reported-2012021833631.html |archive-date=20 February 2012 |access-date=27 September 2012 |publisher=Afriquejet.}}</ref> There was also a huge improvement in Ghana's gross international reserves and foreign direct investments (FDI) highlighting exceptional macroeconomic performance.<ref name="iamaghanaian1">{{cite web |title=Spio-Garbrah congratulates Mills' government on Top 50 Achievements |url=http://iamaghanaian.net/index.php?do=/news/spio-garbrah-congratulates-mills-8217-government-on-top-50-achievements/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203001051/http://iamaghanaian.net/index.php?do=%2Fnews%2Fspio-garbrah-congratulates-mills-8217-government-on-top-50-achievements%2F |archive-date=3 December 2013 |access-date=27 September 2012 |publisher=iamaghanaian.}}</ref> The Mills government also implemented the Single Spine Salary system which increased compensation levels of all public sector workers.<ref name="ghanaweb1"/> In a bid to improve the efficiency in revenue collection, Mills established the Ghana Revenue Authority which integrated [[Value-added tax|Value Added Tax]] (VAT), Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS).<ref name="ghanaweb1"/> Under his governance, Ghana met three out of the four primary convergence criteria for the proposed [[common currency]], [[Eco (currency)|Eco]] of the [[West African Monetary Zone]]. These accomplishments led to renewed domestic and foreign investor confidence in Ghana's economy.<ref name="iamaghanaian1"/> During Mills' time in office, Ghana was adjudged the best place for doing business in West Africa and best West African performer in access to credit according to the 2011 [[World Bank]] Doing Business global rankings.<ref>{{cite web |date=30 November 2001 |title=Ghana is the easiest place to do business in West Africa - World Bank |url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=196777 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203013611/http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=196777 |archive-date=3 December 2013 |work=ghanaweb.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=allAfrica.com: West Africa: Ghana Tops West Africa in Doing Business Ranking |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201310301498.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203055327/http://allafrica.com/stories/201310301498.html |archive-date=3 December 2013 |work=allAfrica.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ghana |url=https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/ghana |work=worldbank.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.doingbusiness.org/~/media/FPDKM/Doing%20Business/Documents/Annual-Reports/English/DB11-FullReport.pdf |title=2011 World Bank Doing Business Report |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611091339/http://www.doingbusiness.org/~/media/fpdkm/doing%20business/documents/annual-reports/english/db11-fullreport.pdf |archive-date=11 June 2014 }}</ref> ====Education==== There was also an increase in the capitation grants (government subsidies towards public education) under Mills. The government also introduced a programme to provide free school uniforms to deprived communities while providing over 100,000 [[laptops]] or [[Laptop|notebooks]] to school children to facilitate the learning process in a highly technological world. An initiative to provide free exercise books started under Mills. More than 23 million books were distributed. His government also expanded the school feeding programme to include 230 more schools.<ref name="ghanaweb1"/> Government paid the full tuition fees for all teachers pursuing further studies through distance learning. A sustained program involving the Ministry of Education, the GETFUND, and resources allocated by the various [[District Assemblies]] have begun to ensure the elimination of schools under trees and provide all schools in the country with decent classroom infrastructure. Out of the 4,320 schools under trees, almost 1,700 schools under trees were eliminated across the country. The Mills administration also started a program to re-equip science resource centres in all districts of the country to enhance the teaching and learning of science.<ref name="ghanaweb1"/> Two new specialized public universities were established during his tenure: the [[University of Health and Allied Sciences]] in the [[Volta Region]] and the [[University of Energy and Natural Resources]] in the [[Brong-Ahafo Region]].<ref>{{cite web |date=18 May 2012 |title=University of Health And Allied Sciences To Takeoff in September |url=http://www.ghana.gov.gh/index.php/news/general-news/13025-university-of-health-and-allied-sciences-to-takeoff-in-september/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623105638/http://www.ghana.gov.gh/index.php/news/general-news/13025-university-of-health-and-allied-sciences-to-takeoff-in-september |archive-date=23 June 2012 |access-date=27 September 2012 |publisher=Ghana government ghana}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=11 November 2011 |title=University of Energy, Natural Resources Ready For Admissions |url=http://www.ghana.gov.gh/index.php/news/regional-news/brong-ahafo/8943-university-of-energy-and-natural-resources-ready-for-admissions/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160111033214/http://www.ghana.gov.gh/index.php/news/regional-news/brong-ahafo/8943-university-of-energy-and-natural-resources-ready-for-admissions/ |archive-date=11 January 2016 |access-date=27 September 2012 |publisher=Ghana Government Ghana}}</ref> As president, Mills established a working relationship between the Masters in Development Practice program (MDP) at the [[University of Winnipeg]], Canada and the [[University for Development Studies]] [[Ghana]], leading to a joint initiative on the study of development practice for Indigenous and traditional societies.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://uwinnipeg.ca/index/uw-news-action/story.851/title.the-passing-of-john-atta-mills-president-of-ghana |title=The Passing of John Atta-Mills President of Ghana |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160111033212/http://uwinnipeg.ca/index/uw-news-action/story.851/title.the-passing-of-john-atta-mills-president-of-ghana |archive-date=11 January 2016|access-date=3 December 2014 }}</ref> ====Health==== During his term of office, the Mills government provided a facelift to many teaching, regional and district hospitals across the country by upgrading old facilities and providing newer ones such as more high-tech equipment and more beds in hospitals, particularly at the [[Tamale Teaching Hospital]].<ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web |date=20 July 2013 |title=Mills' reverence for Parliament was exceedingly significant – Ablakwa |url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=280012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160111033212/http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=280012 |archive-date=11 January 2016 |publisher=Ghanaweb}}</ref> His government also built several polyclinics to increase access to healthcare.<ref name="ghanaweb1"/> The government also scaled up the National Ambulance Service to cover all districts in the nation. Increased collaboration between stakeholders led higher patronage of the [[National Health Insurance Scheme (Ghana)|National Health Insurance Scheme]]. Utilization of the scheme rose by 75%.<ref name="ghanaweb1"/> ==== Governance and international relations ==== True to his promise to reduce the number of Ministerial appointees and run a lean government, the number of Ministers was significantly reduced from 87 of the previous Kufuor [[New Patriotic Party|NPP]] government to 73 (a reduction of 16%) in the Mills-led government. It was projected that approximately $4 million was saved annually by this bold decision to run a small government. The hundreds of Special Assistants, Presidential Staffers and Spokespersons were also eliminated to improve fiscal efficiency.<ref name="ghanaweb1"/> He commissioned a review of the 1992 [[Constitution of Ghana]] in a bid to improve upon the country's governance architecture.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> He held an annual media forum every year at the presidency to interact with journalists about socio-political issues.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> [[File:Obama_&_Atta-Mills,_2012-07-31_B002.jpg|thumb|Obama & Atta Mills, 2009]] President Atta Mills re-equipped and re-tooled the security agencies: the military, the police, the fire service, the Immigration, The Prisons Service and the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS).<ref name="autogenerated2" /> In order to ensure inter-generational equity because of the "finite nature of resource revenue" as well as financial security for future Ghanaian generations, the Mills government established in 2011, the Ghana Heritage Fund<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 August 2010 |title=Ghana to adopt the Norwegian model to manage its petroleum revenue |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Ghana-to-adopt-the-Norwegian-model-to-manage-its-petroleum-revenue-187732 |access-date=26 June 2023 |website=GhanaWeb |language=en}}</ref> - a sovereign wealth fund generated from petroleum revenue accumulated from the country's oil and gas industry.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.swfinstitute.org/swfs/ghana-petroleum-funds/ |title=Ghana Petroleum Funds |work=Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140503051058/http://www.swfinstitute.org/swfs/ghana-petroleum-funds/ |archive-date=3 May 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ghanaoilonline.org/2013/03/ghana-expects-581-mln-usd-oil-revenues-in-2013/ |title=Ghana expects 581 mln USD oil revenues in 2013 |work=Ghana Oil |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514062743/http://ghanaoilonline.org/2013/03/ghana-expects-581-mln-usd-oil-revenues-in-2013/ |archive-date=14 May 2014 }}</ref> John Atta Mills established the Media Development Fund to promote media excellence and freedom in the spirit of 1992 constitution.<ref>{{cite web |date=30 November 2001 |title=Media Development Fund is testimony of late Prez. Mills' commitment to Media Excellence - Kabral - Regional News 2012-08-01 |url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=246575 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429075654/http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=246575 |archive-date=29 April 2014 |access-date=21 October 2014 |publisher=Ghanaweb}}</ref> A few months prior to his death, he was praised by US President [[Barack Obama]] for making Ghana a "good news story" that had good democratic credentials. He also [[China-Ghana relations|fostered economic ties with China]]<ref name="aljaz" /> in a bid strengthen Sino-Ghanaian bilateral relations. In 2009, the [[Journal of International Affairs]] at [[Columbia University]] featured Mills as one of the "Five Faces of African Innovation and Entrepreneurship" along with South African innovator, [[Euvin Naidoo]] and [[Mo Ibrahim]], (founder of [[Celtel International]] and Chairman of the [[Mo Ibrahim Foundation]]) where he was lauded for his commitment to strengthening Ghana's Electoral Commission, [[National Media Commission]] and National Commission for Civic Education and more importantly, transparency in public institutions, particularly in the country's growing oil and gas sector.<ref>[http://www.allbusiness.com/journal-of-international-affairs/3476586-1.html Journal of International and Public Affairs- Africa Edition] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110065818/http://www.allbusiness.com/journal-of-international-affairs/3476586-1.html |date=10 November 2011 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.allbusiness.com/company-activities-management/company-structures/12325032-1.html Profile in the Journal of International and Public Affairs] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117210819/http://www.allbusiness.com/company-activities-management/company-structures/12325032-1.html |date=17 January 2010 }}</ref> Mills' leadership style was very diplomatic, inclusive and less polarising than his predecessors. The [[BBC]] described his presidency as that of "a peacemaker who was never one to make disparaging comments in public" despite intense criticisms and vilification from his political supporters and opponents alike.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18976804 |title=BBC News – Obituary: Ghana's President John Atta Mills |publisher=BBC |date=24 July 2012 |access-date=27 September 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830133440/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18976804 |archive-date=30 August 2012 }}</ref> ====Agriculture, energy access and rural development==== The Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) law was passed and work was started to open up the three Northern regions, Brong Ahafo and Volta Regions to enhance agriculture production and industrialisation. Under Mills, the producer price of cocoa increased appreciably to $1600 per tonne of 16 bags, which was the highest in the sub-region and the highest that had ever been paid to cocoa farmers in Ghana's entire history.<ref name="ghanaweb1"/> Cocoa production also hit a record-breaking 1 million metric tonnes.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> Under the rural electrification programme, he extended national electricity coverage from 54% to 72% improving livelihoods in 1,700 communities and making [[Ghana]] the third best country in [[sub-Saharan Africa]] after [[Mauritius]] and [[South Africa]] with enhanced energy access.<ref name=autogenerated2 /><ref>{{cite web |title=IEA - Energy access database |url=http://www.worldenergyoutlook.org/resources/energydevelopment/energyaccessdatabase/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013055039/http://www.worldenergyoutlook.org/resources/energydevelopment/energyaccessdatabase/ |archive-date=13 October 2016 |work=worldenergyoutlook}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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