John Mahama
John Dramani Mahama (/məˈhɑːmə/ ⓘ; born on Saturday, 29 November 1958) is a Ghanaian politician who served as President of Ghana from 24 July 2012 to 7 January 2017. He previously served as Vice President of Ghana from January 2009 to July 2012, and took office as president on 24 July 2012 following the death of his predecessor, John Evans Fiifi Attah Mills.
John Mahama | |
|---|---|
Mahama in 2014 | |
| 4th President of Ghana | |
| In office 24 July 2012 – 7 January 2017 | |
| Vice President | Kwesi Amissah-Arthur |
| Preceded by | John Atta-Mills |
| Succeeded by | Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo |
| Chair of the Economic Community of West African States | |
| In office 17 February 2013 – 19 May 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Alassane Ouattara |
| Succeeded by | Macky Sall |
| Vice President of Ghana | |
| In office 7 January 2009 – 24 July 2012 | |
| President | John Atta Mills |
| Preceded by | Aliu Mahama |
| Succeeded by | Kwesi Amissah-Arthur |
| Minister for Communications | |
| In office November 1998 – January 2001 | |
| President | Jerry John Rawlings |
| Preceded by | Ekwow Spio-Garbrah |
| Succeeded by | Felix Owusu-Adjapong |
| Deputy Minister for Communications | |
| In office April 1997 – November 1998 | |
| President | Jerry John Rawlings |
| Member of Parliament for Bole | |
| In office 7 January 1997 – 7 January 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Mahama Jeduah |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Akati Saaka |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 November 1958 Damongo, Ghana |
| Political party | National Democratic Congress |
| Spouse | Lordina Effah |
| Relations |
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| Education | University of Ghana Moscow Institute of Social Sciences |
| Website | Official website |
A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), he was Member of Parliament for Bole Bamboi from 1997 to 2009 and served as Deputy Minister for Communication between 1997 and 1998 before becoming the substantive Minister for Communications in 1998. Mahama is the first vice president to take over the presidency from the death of his predecessor, John Evans Atta Mills, and is the first head of state of Ghana to have been born after Ghana's independence. He was elected after December 2012 election to serve as full-time President. He contested re-election for a second term in the 2016 election, but lost to the New Patriotic Party candidate Nana Akufo-Addo, in 2016. This made him the first President in the history of Ghana to not have won a second term.