Ghana President Mills dead -presidential statement
Ghana's President John Evans Atta Mills speaks during a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington March 8, 2012. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS)
Image by: JOSHUA ROBERTS / REUTERS
Image by: JOSHUA ROBERTS / REUTERS
Ghana's President John Atta Mills has died, according to a statement sent by the president's office to Reuters on Tuesday.
"It is with a heavy heart...that we announce the sudden and untimely death of the president of the Republic of Ghana," the statement said.
It said the president, 68, died a few hours after being taken ill but no further details were given.
Ghana's vice president will be sworn in as the West African country's new president on Tuesday evening, hours after President John Atta Mills died unexpectedly, a parliament official in charge of proceedings told Reuters.
Ebenezer Djietror said Vice President John Dramani Mahama would be sworn in at 1800 GMT.
According to the country's constitution, Mahama will complete Mills's term that was due to end with elections in December.
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