John Mahama's full biography: Everything we know about the former president of Ghana
John Mahama is a renowned writer, historian, and politician from Ghana. He served as President from 24 July 2012 to 7 January 2017. John's legacy lives on through the countless infrastructure advancements, youth empowerment projects, and economic stability accomplished under his leadership. How much do you know about him?
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
John Mahama began his career as a history teacher at a high school, where he worked for a few years. After returning to Ghana from studying in Moscow, he served as the Information, Culture, and Research Officer at the Japanese Embassy in Accra from 1991 until 1995.
John Mahama's profile summary
| Full name | John Dramani Mahama |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 29 November 1958 |
| Age | 65 years old (as of September 2024) |
| Zodiac sign | Sagittarius |
| Place of birth | Damongo, West Gonja District, Ghana |
| Current residence | Kakramadu, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana |
| Nationality | Ghanaian |
| Ethnicity | Black |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Hair colour | Grey |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Marital status | Married |
| Wife | Lordina Mahama |
| Children | Farida, Sharaf, Jesse, Shahid, Shafik Mahama |
| Father | Emmanuel Adama Mahama |
| Mother | Abiba Nnaba |
| Siblings | Ibrahim, Alfred, Peter |
| Education | Achimota School, University of Ghana, University of Ghana, Institute of Social Sciences |
| Profession | Writer, historian, politician |
| Net worth | $1.5 million–$100 million |
| @officialjdmahama | |
| X(Twitter) | @JDMahama |
| @JDMahama |
John Mahama's full biography
The former Ghanaian president was born in Damongo, West Gonja District, Ghana, to his parents, Emmanuel Adama Mahama and Abiba Nnaba. His dad, Emmanuel, was an affluent rice farmer and teacher who served as the initially elected Member of Parliament for the West Gonja constituency.
He was also the first Regional Commissioner of the Northern Region under Ghana's First Republic, led by Kwame Nkrumah. John's dad was also a prominent presidential advisor during Ghana's Third Republic under Hilla Limann, who was deposed in 1981 by Jerry Rawlings.
John Mahama's educational background
The Ghanaian politician attended Accra Newtown Experimental School (ANT1) for elementary school and then boarded at Achimota Elementary School. He completed his secondary education at Ghana Secondary Education (Tamale, Northern Region).
Dramani studied history at the University of Ghana in Legon, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1981 and an advanced diploma in communication studies in 1986. While a student, Dramani was a member of Commonwealth Hall (Legon).
He pursued social psychology at the Institute of Social Sciences in Moscow, Soviet Union, and received a postgraduate degree in 1988.
Source: UGC
John Mahama's age
How old is John Mahama? He is 65 years old as of September 2024. The Ghanaian politician was born on 29 November 1958. His zodiac sign is Sagittarius.
Career
John Mahama is a Ghanaian writer, historian, and politician. After finishing his undergraduate degree, he taught history in a few high schools for a few years. After schooling in Moscow, he returned to Ghana and was employed as the Information, Culture, and Research Officer at the Japanese Embassy in Accra from 1991 to 1995.
He then proceeded to Plan International's Ghana Country Office, where he functioned as Sponsorship Communications, International Relations, and Grants Manager from 1995 to 1996. Here's a breakdown of his political appointments.
Member of Parliament
Dramani was initially elected to the Ghanaian Parliament in 1996, serving four years as the Bole/Bamboi Constituency representative. In 2000, he was re-elected for another four years as a Member of Parliament for the Bole/Bamboi Constituency.
In 2004, he was re-elected to a third term. He served on the Standing Orders Committee and Parliament's Industry, Transport, Energy, Science, Communications, and Technology Committees as a parliamentarian.
Minister and Vice-President
John Mahama was the Deputy Minister of Communications from April 1997 to November 1998. He took office as the Republic of Ghana's Vice-President on Wednesday, 7 January 2009, with President John Evan Atta Mills.
In addition, he chaired the Armed Forces Council of Ghana, the National Economic Management Team, the Decentralisation and Implementation Committee, and the Ghana Police Council.
President
Following the death of Ghana's former president, John Atta Mills, on 24 July 2012, Dramani became the president under the country's constitution. In July 2012, he was named Ghana's first president to have held every level of political office.
John Mahama's previous offices included Ghanaian and Pan-African Member of Parliament, Deputy Minister, Minister, Vice President, and President.
2024 presidential bid
On 14 May 2023, John won the NDC presidential primary, becoming the National Democratic Congress candidate for the 2024 general elections. He received 297,603 votes, or 98.9%, while his closest competitor, Kojo Bonsu, received only 3,181 votes, or 1.1%.
Writing career
The Ghanaian politician has written for local and international newspapers and magazines. As a member of parliament, he penned Mahama's Hammer, a semi-regular piece in a Ghanaian newspaper. His articles have also appeared in the Huffington Post, the Daily Graphic, the Louisville Courier-Journal, Ebony, the Root, and the New York Times.
List of John Mahama's projects
John Dramani has seen his government's accomplishments in roads, power, water, the economy, and sanitation. Some of John Dramani Mahama's achievements throughout his stint in government include:
1. Transport infrastructure
Dramani's government prioritised improving transportation infrastructure across all forms of transportation, including roadways, air, sea, and train. A few of these initiatives are:
| Transport | Projects |
| Road infrastructure | Kwame Nkrumah interchange |
| George Walker Bush Highway (N1 Highway) | |
| Ghana Urban Transport Project | |
| Asphalt overlay projects | |
| Accra-Tema Motorway expansion project | |
| Atuabo Gas Processing Plant access roads | |
| Pokuasi interchange | |
| Eastern Corridor road | |
| Seaports | Tema Port expansion |
| Takoradi Port expansion | |
| Air transport infrastructure | Kotoka International Airport Terminal 3 |
| Temale Airport upgrade | |
| Ho Airport construction | |
| Expansion of Kumasi Airport | |
| Rehabilitation of existing rail lines |
2. Energy infrastructure
John's government prioritised fixing the country's energy crisis, especially the regular power outages called in Ghanaian slang as "dumsor". Some of the primary energy projects under John Mahama's presidency include:
| Energy | Projects |
| Atuabo Gas Processing Plant | |
| Expansion of the Bui Hydroelectric power station | |
| Kpone Thermal Power Plant (KTPP) | |
| Ameri Power Plant | |
| Solar Power Initiatives | |
| Wind Energy Projects | |
| Financial solvency (ESLA) | |
| Revival of the Tema Oil Refinery |
3. Educational infrastructure
Under his presidency, Dramani launched several significant educational projects to enhance access and quality of education throughout the country. Among the projects include:
| Education | Projects |
| Community Day Senior High Schools | |
| Progressive Free Secondary Education | |
| Infrastructure expansion in tertiary institutions | |
| Distribution of tablets and computers | |
| Upgrading of polytechnics, teacher training colleges, and others |
4. Health Infrastructure
During his administration, former President John carried out several healthcare-related projects. They include;
| Health | Projects |
| National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) | |
| Construction of new hospitals | |
| CHPS compounds | |
| Ebola preparedness and response | |
| Medical drone delivery service |
5. Housing and Urban Development
Under his administration, John oversaw various housing initiatives to solve Ghana's colossal housing shortfall. The initiatives were a more significant attempt to improve Ghanaians' living conditions and provide inexpensive housing options.
| Housing and Urban Development | Projects |
| Saglemi housing project | |
| Security services housing scheme | |
| Affordable housing programme | |
| Ghana police housing project |
6. Water infrastructure
During Dramani's administration, several water projects were begun and completed to increase access to safe and healthy water nationwide.
| Water | Projects |
| Kpong Water Supply expansion project | |
| Teshie-Nungua Desalination plant | |
| Expansion of water treatment plants | |
| Small town's water supply projects | |
| Water supply improvement projects in northern Ghana |
7. Economic initiatives
Dramani's administration saw tremendous progress in production, agro-processing, and technology, putting the nation on a new path for significant economic growth.
| Economy | Projects |
| Komenda sugar factory | |
| Elmina fish processing plant | |
| Wenchi tomato factory | |
| Ekumfi pineapple processing factory | |
| Expansion of cocoa processing | |
| Resuscitation of the Kumasi shoe factory | |
| Revival of Tema oil refinery |
8. Internet expansion
Dramani's governance strongly emphasised increasing internet access and strengthening information and communications technology (ICT) facilities.
| Internet expansion | Projects |
| National Fibre Optic Backbone | |
| Mobile Broadband Expansion | |
| ICT in education | |
| E-government services | |
| Support for ICT startups |
John Mahama's net worth
According to Avenuegh.com and Glusea, the Ghanaian leader's alleged net worth is between $1.5 million and $100 million. He has earned income through his political and writing careers.
John Dramani Mahama's family
John's family comprises his wife, Lordina Mahama, and five children. John Mahama's children are Farida, Sharaf, Jesse, Shahid, and Shafik Mahama. Sharaf previously played as a striker for Rostocker FC.
Lordina, John Mahama's wife, is a former First Lady of Ghana who held the position from 2012 until 2017. Before becoming First Lady, she served as Ghana's Second Lady from 2009 to 2012.
Source: Getty Images
John Dramani Mahama's house
Ghana's former president, Dramani, constructed a multimillion-cedi palace in Bole in the northern region. Although he does not live there, it is a tourist attraction for locals who occasionally visit.
John Mahama's quotes and legacy
John Mahama is a profoundly transformative leader. During his presidency, Ghana underwent substantial changes, inspiring Africa and other countries. Here are John Mahama's quotes to encourage you.
- My fellow Ghanaians, we can build a great nation if we put our differences aside and work together.
- Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.
- Africa has made rapid progress, and many conflicts we saw on the continent have abated.
- A nation's greatness lies not in its wealth or military power but in the well-being of its people.
- Unity is strength, and if divided, we fall. Let us come together as one nation and build a brighter future.
- When you kill a goat and you frighten it with a knife, it doesn't fear the knife because it is dead already.
- Democracy is not just about electing leaders; it is about active citizen participation and holding those leaders accountable.
FAQs
- Who is John Mahama? He is a writer, historian, and politician from Ghana who was the president from 24 July 2012 to 7 January 2017.
- What is John Mahama's date of birth? He was born on 29 November 1958. He is 65 years old as of September 2024.
- Where does John Mahama come from? He hails from Bole, which is in the Savanna Region of Ghana.
- Which religion is John Mahama? He is a Christian, born and raised a Presbyterian, but married into the Assemblies of God in Ghana.
- Who are John Mahama's parents? His parents are Emmanuel Adama Mahama and Abiba Nnaba.
- Is John Mahama married? He has been married to Lordina Mahama since 1992.
- Does John Mahama have children? He has five kids: Farida, Sharaf, Jesse, Shahid, and Shafik Mahama.
John Mahama is a Ghanaian writer, historian, and politician who served as president from 24 July 2012 to 7 January 2017. His notable achievements have established him as one of the most prominent leaders in Africa.
Yen.com.gh recently published Alan Kyerematen's biography. Alan Kyerematen is a Ghanaian politician, businessman, attorney, diplomat, and a past member of the New Patriotic Party.
Alan Kyerematen is running for president in Ghana's 2024 general election, which will take place in December. In September 2023, he announced his resignation from his previous NPP party. Alan just partnered with Dr. Abu Sakara Foster, the leader of the National Interest Movement. Read the article to learn more about him.
Source: YEN.com.gh
Chris Ndetei (Lifestyle writer) Christopher Ndetei is a junior reporter writer who joined the Yen team in May 2021. He graduated from the Machakos Technical College in 2009 with a diploma in ICT. Chris has over two years of experience in content creation and more than ten working in the hospitality industry. He covers lifestyle/entertainment, focusing on biographies, life hacks, gaming and guides. In 2023, Christopher finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. You can reach him at chrisndetei@gmail.com
Tatiana Thiga (Lifestyle writer) Tatiana Thiga is a content creator who joined Yen in 2022. She is an English literature graduate from Kenyatta University. She has amassed sufficient knowledge working on a variety of topics, including biographies, fashion and lifestyles, guides, and more. In 2023, Tatiana finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. You can reach her at tatianathiga@gmail.com
