John Atta-Mills

Infobox_President | name=John Atta-Mills


imagesize =
caption =
order =2nd Vice President of Ghana
4th Republic
term_start =January, 1997
term_end =January 7, 2001
vicepresident =
viceprimeminister=
deputy =
president =Jerry John Rawlings
primeminister =
predecessor =Kow Nkensen Arkaah
successor =Alhaji Aliu Mahama
birth_date =birth date and age|1944|7|21
birth_place =Central Region, Ghana
death_date =
death_place =
constituency =
party =National Democratic Congress
spouse =Ernestina Naadu
profession =Law Professor
religion =Christian


website =http://www.attamills2008.com/
footnotes =|

John Evans Atta Mills, the Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2008 General Elections, was born on July 21st, 1944, at Tarkwa in the Western Region of Ghana and hails from Ekumfi Otuam in the Mfantsiman East Constituency of the Central region.

John Evans Atta Mills launched a lifelong interest in acquiring knowledge at Achimota Secondary School, where he completed the Advanced Level Certificate in 1963. To further his education, he attended the University of Ghana, Legon, where he received a bachelor's degree and professional certificate in Law (1967).

While earning a PhD in Law from the prestigious School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, John Evans Atta Mills was selected as a Fulbright scholar at the equally prestigious Stanford Law School in the United States of America. Before then, Atta Mills had earned an LLM at the University of London.

At age 27, he was awarded his PhD after successfully defending his doctoral thesis in the area of taxation and economic development.

Prof. Mills' first formal teaching assignment was as a lecturer at the Faculty of Law at the University of Ghana, Legon. He spent close to twenty five years imparting knowledge at Legon and other institutions of higher learning, and rose in position from lecturer to senior lecturer to associate professor. His contribution to the University was remarkable having served on numerous boards and committees. Also, during the almost thirty years of teaching and researching, Prof. Mills traveled as a visiting lecturer and professor at a number of educational institutions worldwide and presented research papers at symposiums and conferences throughout the world.

Publications

John Evans Atta Mills has more than a dozen publications to his credit.

These include:

Taxation of Periodical or Deferred Payments arising from the Sale of Fixed Capital (1974),

Exemption of Dividends from Income taxation: A critical Appraisal (1977),

Report of the Tax Review Commission, Ghana, parts 1,2&3, (1977) and

Ghana's Income Tax laws and the Investor. (An inter-faculty lecture published by the University of Ghana).

His expertise goes well beyond the classroom, and is evidenced by the various examiner positions he held with finance related institutions throughout Ghana (i.e. Institute of Chartered Accountants, Institute of Bankers, Ghana Tax Review Commission).

As an advocate for recreation and an active sportsman and sports fan, John Evans Atta Mills has supported the academic community and the nation at large through his contribution to the Ghana Hockey Association, National Sports Council of Ghana, and Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club. Indeed, he is a keen hockey player and once played for the national team and is still member of the Veterans Hockey Team.

He is also a lover of the pool and spends close to two hours when he has the time, swimming, as one of his ways of exercising.

Other Activities and Projects

The following are a few of his activities and projects:

1. Member of the Ghana Stock Exchange Council

2. Board of Trustees, Mines Trust

3. Management Committee Member of, Commonwealth Administration of Tax Experts, United Nations Ad Hoc Group of Experts in International Cooperation in Tax Matters, and United Nations Law and Population Project

4. A Study on Equipment Leasing in Ghana

5. Casebook preparation on Ghana's Income Tax Review of Ghana's Double Tax Agreement with the U.K

6. A track record of financial knowledge and strong professional credentials led to several important appointments:

- In 1988, John Evans Atta Mills became the acting Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service of Ghana and named Commissioner in September 1996. - In 1997, Prof. Mills received another important appointment when on January 7, 1997, he was sworn-in as the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana. - In 2002, Prof. Mills was a visiting scholar at the Liu Centre for the Study of Global Affairs, University of British Columbia, Canada. - In December 2002, John Evans Atta Mills was elected by his party to be its flagbearer and led them into the 2004 elections.- John Evans Atta Mills was reelected in December 2006 by an overwhelming 81.4%, beating three other contestants, to once again have the mandate to lead his party into the 2008 general elections.

John Evans Atta Mills continues to contribute to the development of good governance in the Republic of Ghana. He is married to Ernestina Naadu Mills, an educationist, and has a 19 year old son, Sam Kofi Atta Mills.

On December 21 2006, Atta-Mills was overwhelmingly elected by the NDC as its candidate for the 2008 presidential election with a majority of 81.4% (1,362 votes), far ahead of his opponents, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu, and Eddie Annan. [ [http://www.modernghana.com/GhanaHome/NewsArchive/news_details.asp?t=mg&id=VFZSSmQwNTZaM2c9&menu_id=1&sub_menu_id=0 "NDC CONGRESS RESULTS-Prof Wins"] , Modernghana.com, December 22, 2006.]

He is a good friend of Prophet T.B. Joshua of The Synagogue Church Of All Nations in Lagos, Nigeria and regularly visits his church. [cite news| title = Mills Storms Lagos Church| url = http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=139870 | work = Daily Guide| date = 2008-02-26|]

References

External links

* [http://www.AttaMills2008.com/ John Atta Mills Official Website]

Persondata
NAME=John Atta-Mills
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Vice President of Ghana from 1997 to 2001
DATE OF BIRTH=July 21, 1944
PLACE OF BIRTH=Central Region, Ghana
DATE OF DEATH=Living
PLACE OF DEATH=