( CNN ) -- Opposition candidate John Evans Atta Mills has narrowly won Ghana 's presidential election , the Ghana Electoral Commission said on its Web site . John Atta Mills , left , of the opposition NDC has defeated Nana Akufo-Addo , right , of the ruling NPP in the runoff . The chairman of the Ghana Electoral Commission , Kwadwo Afari-Gyan , said Mills had garnered about 4,521,032 votes , or about 50.2 percent of the total votes cast . Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo , of the incumbent New Patriotic Party , won about 49.77 percent of the total valid votes cast , Afari-Gyan said , according to the commission 's Web site . The two men led a field of eight candidates in the December 7 general election , but neither secured a majority of the votes . Akufo-Addo had held a slight lead in that vote . The runoff election was so close that it could not be decided until the last of the 230 constituencies , the Tain constituency , voted on Friday . `` On the basis of the official results given , the results of the run-off election in the Tain constituency in the Brong Ahafo Region , which was held on the 2nd January 2009 , it is my duty to declare Professor John Evans Atta Mills the President-elect of Ghana , '' Afari-Gyan said , according to the government 's Web site . Both parties had alleged irregularities in voting in the Ashanti region and Volta regions , but Afari-Gyan said the commission did not find evidence in `` purely electoral matters '' that invalidated the results . Mills , 64 , will replace John Agyekum Kufuor as Ghana 's president on January 7 . Kufuor is stepping down after serving two four-year terms , the maximum allowed . Mills is a law professor who served as vice president from 1997 to 2000 under Jerry Rawlings . He lost to Kufuor in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections . Ghana , a country about the size of England , is the world 's second-biggest cocoa and gold producer . In 2007 , leaders announced the discovery of oil off its shore . The world recession , however , has hindered growth . Ghana has seen a decline in its exports and will not tap into its oil resources until 2010 . Part of a former British colony , Ghana was among the first African countries to gain independence in 1957 . It endured a series of coups before military dictator Rawlings took power in 1981 . A decade later , Rawlings led the country through the transition to a stable democracy with multi-party elections .
NEW : Opposition candidate John Evans Atta Mills wins presidential election . Nana Akufo-Addo of the incumbent NPP has been ousted . Runoff election was so close it could not be decided until a final vote on Friday .