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| Ghana's new leader takes office | Ghana's new leader takes office |
| (39 minutes later) | |
| John Atta Mills has been sworn in as Ghana's new president following a cliff-hanger election victory. | John Atta Mills has been sworn in as Ghana's new president following a cliff-hanger election victory. |
| Mr Atta Mills, 64, took his oath of allegiance in front of thousands of people in Independence Square for the inauguration in the capital, Accra. | Mr Atta Mills, 64, took his oath of allegiance in front of thousands of people in Independence Square for the inauguration in the capital, Accra. |
| The National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate beat the ruling party's Nana Akufo-Addo in a hotly contested poll by a margin of less than 0.5% of votes. | The National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate beat the ruling party's Nana Akufo-Addo in a hotly contested poll by a margin of less than 0.5% of votes. |
| President John Kufuor has stood down after serving the maximum two terms. | President John Kufuor has stood down after serving the maximum two terms. |
| He is the second elected head of state in Ghana's history to hand over to an opposition politician. | He is the second elected head of state in Ghana's history to hand over to an opposition politician. |
| Loud cheers | |
| The BBC's Will Ross in the Accra says there is a carnival atmosphere in the capital. | The BBC's Will Ross in the Accra says there is a carnival atmosphere in the capital. |
| It is a dawn of a new era for Ghana and I hope to tap the experiences of the two former presidents President John Ata Mills | |
| Crowds began forming at the stadium before dawn - decked out in the national colours of green, yellow, red and black - amid an air of intense excitement after one of the closest election races in Africa's recent history. | Crowds began forming at the stadium before dawn - decked out in the national colours of green, yellow, red and black - amid an air of intense excitement after one of the closest election races in Africa's recent history. |
| Mr Atta Mills was dressed in a local kente cloth woven in the national colours, Reuters news agency reports. | Mr Atta Mills was dressed in a local kente cloth woven in the national colours, Reuters news agency reports. |
| After he was sworn in, he raised up the State Sword - representing government authority - to cheers from the crowd, the agency said. | After he was sworn in, he raised up the State Sword - representing government authority - to cheers from the crowd, the agency said. |
| A military unit then fired off a booming 21-gun salute. | A military unit then fired off a booming 21-gun salute. |
| "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," AFP news agency quotes Mr Ata Mills as saying in his first address as president, referring to Mr Kufuor and his predecessor, Jerry Rawlings. | |
| There were loud cheers when he thanked the man he narrowly beat in the election. | |
| JOHN ATTA MILLS Age: 64Party: National Democratic CongressExecutive posts: Vice-president 1997-2000Profession: University professorHobbies: Hockey, swimmingFamily: Married with one child Profile: John Atta MillsWhat lessons from Ghana's poll? | |
| "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. | |
| Our reporter says the fact that Mr Akufo-Addo attended the inauguration is a sign that Ghana has a relatively mature democracy and is a long way ahead of many other African countries. | |
| Several foreign dignitaries attended the ceremony, including several heads of state from the region. | Several foreign dignitaries attended the ceremony, including several heads of state from the region. |
| At times the police and army have had trouble keeping the crowd back so enthusiastic were they to see this change of power. | At times the police and army have had trouble keeping the crowd back so enthusiastic were they to see this change of power. |
| Good example | Good example |
| On the eve of the inauguration, Mr Kufuor showed his successor around his new home, the presidential residence officially known as Jubilee House. | On the eve of the inauguration, Mr Kufuor showed his successor around his new home, the presidential residence officially known as Jubilee House. |
| John Kufuor stepped in to get the NPP to accept defeat | John Kufuor stepped in to get the NPP to accept defeat |
| Ghana's new leader, who had lost two previous elections to Mr Kufuor, has pledged to be "a president for all". | Ghana's new leader, who had lost two previous elections to Mr Kufuor, has pledged to be "a president for all". |
| Mr Akufo-Addo won the first round but not by enough to avoid a run-off in last month's knife-edge polls. | Mr Akufo-Addo won the first round but not by enough to avoid a run-off in last month's knife-edge polls. |
| Mr Atta Mills was finally declared the winner on Saturday after a re-run of voting in the rural constituency of Tain, which was boycotted by the New Patriotic Party (NPP). | Mr Atta Mills was finally declared the winner on Saturday after a re-run of voting in the rural constituency of Tain, which was boycotted by the New Patriotic Party (NPP). |
| Our reporter says there may only be one side celebrating at the inauguration, but many Ghanaians of whatever political persuasion are proud that the country is setting a good example. | Our reporter says there may only be one side celebrating at the inauguration, but many Ghanaians of whatever political persuasion are proud that the country is setting a good example. |
| Despite allegations of multiple voting and intimidation from both sides, electoral officials found no evidence of foul play and monitors gave Ghana's poll a clean bill of health. | Despite allegations of multiple voting and intimidation from both sides, electoral officials found no evidence of foul play and monitors gave Ghana's poll a clean bill of health. |
| One of Mr Kufuor's last acts as president was to intervene and persuade the governing party to accept defeat, a move which helped ensure that Ghana's election did not descend from acrimony into violence, our correspondent says. | One of Mr Kufuor's last acts as president was to intervene and persuade the governing party to accept defeat, a move which helped ensure that Ghana's election did not descend from acrimony into violence, our correspondent says. |
| The stakes were raised further in the election by Ghana's recent discovery of crude oil, with production due to start in late 2010. | The stakes were raised further in the election by Ghana's recent discovery of crude oil, with production due to start in late 2010. |
| Turnout was high for the West African country's fifth set of polls since it embraced multi-party democracy in 1992. | Turnout was high for the West African country's fifth set of polls since it embraced multi-party democracy in 1992. |
| The former British colony was the first African state to gain its independence in 1957. | The former British colony was the first African state to gain its independence in 1957. |
| A nation of 22 million people, it is the world's second biggest cocoa grower and Africa's number two gold miner. | A nation of 22 million people, it is the world's second biggest cocoa grower and Africa's number two gold miner. |