Date of Birth: November 29, 1958
Place of Birth: Damongo, Ghana
Introduction
John Dramani Mahama is a distinguished Ghanaian politician, communication expert, historian, and writer. He served as the President of Ghana from 2012 to 2017, following his tenure as Vice President from 2009 to 2012. He assumed the presidency on July 24, 2012, after the death of his predecessor, John Atta Mills. In December 2012, Mahama was elected for a full term. On November 21, 2015, he was endorsed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as its candidate for the 2016 general elections.
Early Life and Background
John Dramani Mahama was born in Damongo, in what is now the Damongo-Daboya Constituency. His father, Emmanuel Adama Mahama, was a prominent politician who served as the first Member of Parliament for the West Gonja Constituency and the first Regional Commissioner of the Northern Region under President Kwame Nkrumah.
Education
Mahama began his education at Achimota School in Accra before moving to the Northern Region to attend Ghana Secondary School in Tamale, where he obtained his Ordinary and Advanced Level GCE certificates. He then attended the University of Ghana, Legon, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in History in 1981. While at the university, he was a member of Commonwealth Hall.
He later pursued postgraduate studies in Communication at the University of Ghana’s School of Communication Studies, completing in 1986. Subsequently, he earned a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Psychology from the Institute of Social Sciences in Moscow.
Career
After completing his studies in Moscow, Mahama returned to Ghana in 1991 and worked as the Information, Culture, and Research Officer at the Embassy of Japan in Accra. He later joined PLAN International, Ghana, as the International Relations, Sponsorship, Communication, and Grants Manager.
Political Career
Mahama’s political journey began in 1996 when he was elected to Parliament to represent the Bole/Bamboi Constituency. He served three consecutive terms, from 1997 to 2009. During this period:
1997-1998: He was appointed Deputy Minister of Communications.
1998-2001: He served as Minister of Communications.
As Minister, Mahama played a pivotal role in stabilizing Ghana’s telecommunications sector after deregulation in 1997 and chaired the National Communications Authority. He was also a founding member of the Ghana AIDS Commission and contributed to the 2000 National Population Census.
From 2001 to 2004, he was the Minority Spokesman for Communications and later for Foreign Affairs. He also served as the Director of Communications for the NDC and was part of international election observer missions, including Zimbabwe’s parliamentary elections in 2002.
Vice Presidency
In January 2009, Mahama became Ghana’s Vice President. In this role, he chaired several key bodies, including the National Economic Management Team, the Armed Forces Council, and the Police Council.
Presidency
Following the death of President John Atta Mills on July 24, 2012, Mahama was sworn in as President the same day. He became the NDC’s presidential candidate for the 2012 elections and won with 50.70% of the vote. During his presidency, Mahama focused on infrastructure development, regional integration, and economic transformation.
In 2014, he was elected Chairperson of ECOWAS and also chaired the African Union’s High-Level African Trade Committee (HATC).
Personal Life and Interests
Mahama is a Christian and has been married to Lordina Mahama for over 20 years. The couple has eight children. He is an avid reader, writer, and historian. His memoir, “My First Coup D’etat and Other True Stories from the Lost Decades of Africa,” reflects his experiences and perspectives. Mahama is also passionate about technology, agriculture, and football.
Honours and Awards
John Mahama has received numerous honors, including:
An honorary doctorate in Public Administration from Ekiti State University, Nigeria.
The Friendship Medal from Cuba for advocating the Cuban cause.
The African Servant Leadership Award from the Pan-African Institute of Governance and Leadership Studies.
The Africa Award for Excellence in Food Security and Poverty Reduction from the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA).
An honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree from the University of Aberdeen in 2016.
He is a Bill Gates Fellow and has been a visiting scholar at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, USA. He also received the Great Cross of the National Order of Benin from President Yayi Boni of Benin.
Mahama continues to contribute to African development through leadership, writing, and advocacy.
