Mills Is President
By Daily Guide - Daily Guide Ghana Elections | Thu, 08 Jan 2009
President John Evans Atta Mills PROFESSOR JOHN Evans Atta Mills has finally taken over the reins of government as the third President of the Fourth Republic, following the oaths of Office and Allegiance he took yesterday.
He was sworn in by the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Justice Georgina Theodora Wood before a mammoth crowd at a ceremony at the Independence Square in Accra.
By that ceremony, the former law lecturer took over from ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor, whose second four-year-term ended at midnight on Tuesday.
After what looked like a very long wait and an anxious moment for the invited guests and members of the public, who were mostly sympathizers of the National Democratic Party (NDC), proceedings for the day finally took-off and history was made once more, as for the second time the country successfully handed over power from a democratically-elected government to another without any incident. The first time was on January 7, 2001.
At exactly 2:25 pm at the Independence Square which was filled by thousands of Ghanaians and foreigners from all walks of life, Justice Georgina Wood commenced the long-awaited swearing-in ceremony.
The first to mount the stage in his white flowing 'agbada' was the Vice President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, for the administration of the Oath of Allegiance and Office. He swore by the Bible, signed the oath book and afterwards sat in the official wooden stool as the crowd cheered, 'Obama', 'Ghana's Obama'.
Next was Professor Atta Mills who, spotting a traditional Kente cloth over a white 'jumper', took the Presidential and Oath of Allegiance administered by Chief Justice Wood.
Repeating after the Chief Justice, he said, “I, John Evans Atta Mills, having been elected to the office of the President of Ghana, do in the name of the Almighty God swear that I will be faithful and true to the Republic of Ghana; that I will at all times preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana; and I dedicate myself to the service and well-being of the people of the Republic of Ghana; and to do right to all manner of persons.
“I further solemnly swear that should I at any time break this Oath of Office, I shall submit myself to the laws of the Republic of Ghana and suffer the penalty for it. So help me God.” He too swore on the Bible.
But in spite of the pageantry that greeted the event, one visible hiccup just before and after the swearing-in ceremony had to do with the eye-sight of the just-to-be-sworn-in Commander-in-Chief.
Observers were kept on tenterhooks when for close to four minutes there were glaring hitches on the dais.
Not only did the in-coming President nearly trip as he took his first few steps towards becoming an official President, but he had problems reading the oath from his sheet.
The obvious challenges sent tongues wagging as the new President fumbled with words and calling 'pardon' to the Chief Justice Georgina Wood who asked him to read after her.
The new President made matters worse as he delivered his inaugural speech extempore while the prepared speech was right in front of him.
However, Mahama Ayariga, Spokesperson for Prof Mills said there was no cause for alarm, stressing that the new President might have missed some words during the swearing-in because the sentences were too long for him to say after the Chief Justice.
The next noticeable problem he had was when he was to sign the oaths he took, but things eventually fell in line soon afterwards.
Ghana's new President then proceeded to exchange pleasantries with former President Rawlings and his wife Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings and his immediate predecessor, President John Agyekum Kufuor, his wife Theresa and his vice, Alhaji Aliu Mahama and Hajia Ramatu Mahama, as well as other dignitaries on the presidential dais.
As President Atta Mills shook hands with the dignitaries, which included the Clergy, traditional rulers, Members of Parliament and former Members of the Council of State, a 21 gun-salute boomed in the background.
Later in his acceptance speech, President Mills urged Ghanaians to unite for the socio-economic development of the country, and also called for unity among the citizenry.
“The election is over, there is no NPP Ghana, NDC Ghana; we are one people with a common destiny.” Continued
He was sworn in by the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Justice Georgina Theodora Wood before a mammoth crowd at a ceremony at the Independence Square in Accra.
By that ceremony, the former law lecturer took over from ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor, whose second four-year-term ended at midnight on Tuesday.
After what looked like a very long wait and an anxious moment for the invited guests and members of the public, who were mostly sympathizers of the National Democratic Party (NDC), proceedings for the day finally took-off and history was made once more, as for the second time the country successfully handed over power from a democratically-elected government to another without any incident. The first time was on January 7, 2001.
At exactly 2:25 pm at the Independence Square which was filled by thousands of Ghanaians and foreigners from all walks of life, Justice Georgina Wood commenced the long-awaited swearing-in ceremony.
The first to mount the stage in his white flowing 'agbada' was the Vice President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, for the administration of the Oath of Allegiance and Office. He swore by the Bible, signed the oath book and afterwards sat in the official wooden stool as the crowd cheered, 'Obama', 'Ghana's Obama'.
Next was Professor Atta Mills who, spotting a traditional Kente cloth over a white 'jumper', took the Presidential and Oath of Allegiance administered by Chief Justice Wood.
Repeating after the Chief Justice, he said, “I, John Evans Atta Mills, having been elected to the office of the President of Ghana, do in the name of the Almighty God swear that I will be faithful and true to the Republic of Ghana; that I will at all times preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana; and I dedicate myself to the service and well-being of the people of the Republic of Ghana; and to do right to all manner of persons.
“I further solemnly swear that should I at any time break this Oath of Office, I shall submit myself to the laws of the Republic of Ghana and suffer the penalty for it. So help me God.” He too swore on the Bible.
But in spite of the pageantry that greeted the event, one visible hiccup just before and after the swearing-in ceremony had to do with the eye-sight of the just-to-be-sworn-in Commander-in-Chief.
Observers were kept on tenterhooks when for close to four minutes there were glaring hitches on the dais.
Not only did the in-coming President nearly trip as he took his first few steps towards becoming an official President, but he had problems reading the oath from his sheet.
The obvious challenges sent tongues wagging as the new President fumbled with words and calling 'pardon' to the Chief Justice Georgina Wood who asked him to read after her.
The new President made matters worse as he delivered his inaugural speech extempore while the prepared speech was right in front of him.
However, Mahama Ayariga, Spokesperson for Prof Mills said there was no cause for alarm, stressing that the new President might have missed some words during the swearing-in because the sentences were too long for him to say after the Chief Justice.
The next noticeable problem he had was when he was to sign the oaths he took, but things eventually fell in line soon afterwards.
Ghana's new President then proceeded to exchange pleasantries with former President Rawlings and his wife Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings and his immediate predecessor, President John Agyekum Kufuor, his wife Theresa and his vice, Alhaji Aliu Mahama and Hajia Ramatu Mahama, as well as other dignitaries on the presidential dais.
As President Atta Mills shook hands with the dignitaries, which included the Clergy, traditional rulers, Members of Parliament and former Members of the Council of State, a 21 gun-salute boomed in the background.
Later in his acceptance speech, President Mills urged Ghanaians to unite for the socio-economic development of the country, and also called for unity among the citizenry.
“The election is over, there is no NPP Ghana, NDC Ghana; we are one people with a common destiny.” Continued
Comments To This Article
