The obamas are here

Saturday, July 11, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 3)

Compiled by: Rebecca Kwei
US President, Barack Obama, his wife, Michelle, and two children, Malia Ann and Natasha Obama touched down at the Kotoka International Airport last night and they were met on arrival by President John Evans Atta Mills and other government officials.
Presidents Obama and Mills are expected to hold a breakfast meeting this morning. According to news reports former Presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum will also be at the breakfast meeting.
After the breakfast meeting, President Obama and Michelle will then head to the La township where they will visit the La General Hospital.
Today seems a busy day for President Obama as he will be at the Accra International Conference Centre where he is expected to make a major policy statement on Africa.
The US first family will then depart for Cape Coast where he will be received by the Oguaa Omanhen, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II at his palace. The Oguaa chiefs will honour Mrs Obama with the title of queen after which they will tour the Cape Coast Castle.
After Cape Coast, the Obamas will return to Accra today and Presidents Obama and Mills will address a conference at the Kotoka International Airport before saying goodbye to Ghana.
President Obama is the third US President to visit Ghana. The first was Bill Clinton with his wife, Hillary, in 1998 and George Bush and wife, Laura in 2008.
“This historic visit is a testimony to the very warm and friendly relations between our two countries. It is rare that a developing country like ours has had the privilege of receiving three sitting American presidents under two different administrations in Ghana,” the Minister of Foreign Affair, Alhaji Mohammed Mummuni said in Parliament.
In an interview with All Africa on why he (President Obama) picked Ghana as the first place to visit in sub-Saharan Africa , he said “Well, part of the reason is because Ghana has now undergone a couple of successful elections in which power was transferred peacefully; even in a very close election. I think that the new President, President Mills, has shown himself committed to the rule of law; to the kind of democratic commitment that ensure stability in a country. And I think that there is a direct correlation between government and prosperity. Countries that are governed well, that are stable, where the leadership recognises that they are accountable to the people and that institutions are stronger than any one person, have a track record of producing results for the people. And we want to highlight that.”
President Obama’s visit to Ghana has been described by many as historic and about 507 media men both international and local have applied to cover the event and reports also say hotels in Accra and Cape Coast are fully booked.