video transcript

ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION) STORY: Thousands of Ghanaians paid last respects Friday to Ghana's late President John Atta Mills, who died suddenly after helping transform his nation into one of Africa's fastest growing economies. Crowds of mourning Ghanaians lined the streets of the nation's capital city, Accra, as the coffin carrying the last remains of Mills was carried on a gun carriage followed by wreath bearers from State House to Independence Square, where an official funeral service was held. More than a dozen heads of state, mainly from West Africa, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joined thousands of Mills's mourning countrymen for the funeral ceremony. Mills, who had been due to stand for re-election in December, died suddenly on July 24. The cause of his death has not yet been disclosed. Parliament's swearing -in of Mahama as Mills's replacement within hours of the late president's death, removed concerns cover political instability seen elsewhere in Africa following the death in office of a sitting president.