Accra, Jan. 11, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills on Wednesday picked his National Identity Card from the National Identification Authority (NIA), thrilled that he has been declared a Ghanaian.

After Dr William Ahadzie, Executive Secretary of NIA, had given him the card, the President who turns 68 next July, said “I’m happy I’ve been declared a Ghanaian.”

President Mills picked his card at an office created by the NIA at the Osu Castle in Accra.

He commended the Executive Secretary for the exercise, adding that it would help identify Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians.

Dr Ahadzie in an interview with journalists said about 12.5 million Ghanaians had been registered in six out of the 10 regions in Ghana.

Regions where the registration exercise is yet to be carried out are, Brong Ahafo, Northern, Upper East and West Regions.

Dr Ahadzie said about 500,000 people had so far collected their cards in the Greater Accra Region, after which the distribution of cards would continue in the Ashanti Region.

He assured Ghanaians, both residents and non-residents that they would be registered, and currently the Authority was undertaking mopping up exercise in areas where the registration exercise had taken place.

President Mills Profile

President Mills, a law professor, was born at Tarkwa on July 21, 1944, and hails from Ekumfi Otuam in the Central Region.

He launched a life-long learning at Achimota Secondary School, where he obtained Advanced Level Certificate in 1963, and proceeded to University of Ghana, Legon and received a Bachelor’s Degree and Professional Certificate in Law (1967).

While earning PhD in Oriental and African Studies from the University of London at the age of 27, Dr Mills was selected as a Fulbright Scholar at Stanford Law School (USA).

President Mill’s first formal teaching assignment was as a Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Ghana, Legon.

He spent more than 25 years imparting acquired knowledge to students, and rose in position from Lecturer to Associate Professor.

President Mills' contribution to the University was remarkable having served on numerous Boards, Committees, and Schemes, he travelled as a Visiting Lecturer and Professor to Temple University (USA), Leiden University (Holland), and presented research papers at Symposia and Conferences throughout the world.

He has more than a dozen publications to his credit, and they 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 extend well beyond the classroom, and is evidenced by the various examiner positions he held with finance related institutions throughout Ghana, Institute of Chartered Accountants, Institute of Bankers, Ghana Tax Review Commission.

As an advocate for recreation, active sportsman and sports fan, President Mills has supported the community through groups such as the Ghana Hockey Association, National Sport Council of Ghana, and Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club.

Some of his activities and projects are, Member of the Ghana Stock Exchange Council, Board of Trustees, Miners Trust,

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

The rest are, Study on Equipment Leasing in Ghana; Casebook preparation on Ghana’s Income Tax; and Review of Ghana’s Double Tax Agreement with the United Kingdom (UK).

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

In 1988 President Mills became the Acting Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service of Ghana and appointed Commissioner in September 1996, became Vice President of Ghana with former President Jerry John Rawlings in 2000.

On January 3, 2009, the law professor was declared by the Electoral Commission as the President-elect of Ghana after a second presidential run-off of the 2008 Presidential Elections.

President Mills was sworn into office on Wednesday January 7, 2009.

He is married to Ernestina Naadu, an educationist and has a son.