Early life and education

Born in the village of Sumniboma

Sumniboma

Sumniboma is a town in the East Mamprusi District of the Northern Region of Ghana. Edward Mahama, leader of the People's National Convention was born here.- External links :*...

 (northern Ghana) in 1945, Mahama attended Nalerigu Primary and Middle School from 1953 to 1959. He then attended Secondary School in Tamale

Tamale, Ghana

Tamale with a population of 360,579 , is the capital of the Northern Region of Ghana and the Tamale Metropolitan District with which it is coterminous Area. The city is located 600 km north of Accra...

 from 1961 to 1965. Later that year, he was admitted to the University of Ghana

University of Ghana

The University of Ghana is the oldest and largest of the thirteen Ghanaian universities and tertiary institutions. It is one of the best universities in Africa and by far the most prestigious in West Africa...

 in Legon

Legon

Legon, a suburb of the Ghanaian capital city Accra, is situated about twelve kilometres north-east of the city center. Legon is home to the main campus of the University of Ghana. The word "Legon" is derived from the indigenous Ga language of the people of Greater Accra; NI-LEY GON therefore "Hill...

 and graduated in 1972 with a medical degree.

Medicine

Mahama went back to Nalerigu as a medical doctor in September 1973 and four-years later, he left Ghana to become an Obstetrics

Obstetrics

Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...

 and Gynecology Physician in Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

, Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

. During this period, he was also a Clinical Instructor at Northwestern University

Northwestern University

Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....

. In 1990, Mahama was appointed as a lecturer with the University of Ghana

University of Ghana

The University of Ghana is the oldest and largest of the thirteen Ghanaian universities and tertiary institutions. It is one of the best universities in Africa and by far the most prestigious in West Africa...

 Medical School and consultant at Accra

Accra

Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...

's Korle Bu Teaching Hospital

Korle Bu Teaching Hospital

The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital is the premier health care facility in Ghana. It is the only tertiary hospital in the southern part of Ghana and it is also a teaching hospital affiliated with the medical school of the University of Ghana...

. He was elected a fellow of the West African College of Surgeons in 1994.

Politics

In 1996, running as presidential candidate of the People's National Convention (PNC), he received 3.0% of the vote. In his second attempt at the presidency, in 2000, he won 2.5% of the vote.

In preparation for the 2004 presidential election

Ghanaian presidential election, 2004

The Ghanaian presidential election was held in the Republic of Ghana in West Africa on 7 December 2004. Parliamentary elections were held on the same day.There were four candidates:*George Aggudey...

, the PNC and two other parties – Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere

Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere

The Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere is a political party in Ghana.At the last elections, 7 December 2004, the party was part of the Grand Coalition, that won 4 out of 230 seats. Edward Mahama, candidate of the Grand Coalition won 1.9% of the vote in the presidential elections....

 (EGLE) and the Great Consolidated Popular Party

Great Consolidated Popular Party

The Great Consolidated Popular Party is a political party in Ghana.At the last elections, 7 December 2004, the party was part of the Grand Coalition, that won 4 out of 230 seats. Edward Mahama, candidate of the Grand Coalition won 1.9% of the vote in the presidential elections....

 (GCPP) formed an alliance known as the Grand Coalition and chose Mahama as its presidential candidate. He placed third out of four candidates, winning 1.9% of the vote.

Mahama has been elected as the presidential candidate for the PNC for the December 7, 2008 presidential elections

Ghanaian presidential election, 2008

A presidential election was held in Ghana on 7 December 2008, at the same time as a parliamentary election. Since no candidate received more than 50% of the votes, a run-off election was held on 28 December, 2008 between the two candidates who received the most votes, Nana Akufo-Addo and John Atta...

.