Ghana's new president

The people of Ghana will today attend ceremonies marking the swearing in of a new president, John Kufuor.

Mr Kufuor, the former opposition leader, beat the governing party candidate, the country's vice president, John Atta Mills, in a run-off presidential ballot at the end of last month.

He will take over from one of Africa's most prominent and charismatic leaders of recent years, Jerry Rawlings, who first seized power in a military coup twenty years ago.

A BBC correspondent says Mr Rawlings -- contrary to some expectations -- went on to establish one of the continent's best functioning democracies. Our correspondent says Mr Rawlings would almost certainly have won the presidency had he stood for election, but -- as he promised -- he stood aside after two terms in office.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service