Ghanaians
are gearing up to welcome President Obama on Friday.
The Ghanaian
Chronicle, Ghana
Ghana Should 'Cash
In' on Obama's Visit
"Obama
is the first U.S. President of African-American heritage to visit the slave
castles on the Cape Coast. Ghana is central to the ancestral origins of
hundreds of thousands of African-Americans, who trace their lineage and
heritage directly to Ghana."
EDITORIAL
July 8, 2009
Ghana - Ghanaian Chronicle - Original Article
(English)
President Barack Obama's
visit to Ghana will be a historic occasion. According to U.S. Assistant
Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson, this is to recognize the
progress Ghana has made, which serves as an example to the rest of Africa,
particularly in the area of democratization.
President Obama will be in
Ghana on July 10 and 11. In fact, this will not be the first time an American
President has visited Ghana. Richard Nixon (then Vice President) graced Ghana's
independence celebrations in 1957; former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W.
Bush visited Ghana in 1999 and 2008, respectively.
What makes this visit a
historic one, however, is that President Obama is the first U.S. President of
African-American ancestry to visit sub-Saharan Africa, and this first stop has
fallen to a small West African country of only 23 million people: Ghana.
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by WORLDMEETS.US
Our nation has been
internationally commended for the ground-breaking fifth successful democratic
transition of power since 1992 - and it was only the second time that an
opposition party defeated the incumbent one, clearly suggesting that in Ghana,
democracy has taken deep and strong root.
Location of Ghana in West Africa
During his visit, President
Obama will address a number of bilateral and regional issues with his Ghanaian
counterpart, President John Evans Atta Mills. The American President is also
expected to use the platform of Ghana to make a major policy statement to the
rest of the continent about Africa.
As a nation, the
international spotlight will be on us for the two days of President Obama's
visit, so there is the need for our nation to cash in on the august occasion.
Ghana is setting a path of progress on the African continent, both economically
and politically. We have also been a strong force for regional stability by
contributing to peacekeeping missions in West Africa and the world over. During
Obama's visit, Ghana must take advantage of these brand qualities and sell them
to the world.
Information Minister Zita
Okaikoi is quoted as saying that the visit would be a boon to Ghana. She said
"Once Obama comes, we should expect good things. Investors will want to
come and see what Ghana has to offer." However, neither her ministry nor any
other ministries would confirm her comments.
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by WORLDMEETS.US
The Tourism Ministry should
also cash in on the fact that Barack Obama is the first U.S. President of
African-American heritage to visit the slave castles on the Cape Coast. Ghana
is central to the ancestral origins of hundreds of thousands of
African-Americans, who trace their lineage and heritage directly to Ghana.
Whiles looking at the
diplomatic niceties and benefits that the Obama trip brings, we also shouldn't
forget the fact of America's core strategic interests, with oil being one of
them.
The coincidence of Ghana's
recent oil discovery of billions of barrels in reserves, and a U.S. National
Intelligence Council estimate that by 2015, 25 percent of American oil imports
will be derived from West Africa, can not be ignored. With the massive
unpredictability of Nigeria's Niger Delta, Ghana's stable environment offers a
valuable addition.
But whatever motive has caused
America to descend on Ghana and use it as a launching-pad for reaching the rest
of the continent, we should accord President Obama the warmest of famed
Ghanaian hospitality. For once, we should all put aside the things that divide
us and show the world that Ghana has indeed progressing toward democratic
maturity.
SEE ALSO ON THIS:
Modern Ghana, Ghana:
'Snub' from Obama Reflects 'Death of Nigerian Diplomacy'
My Joy, Nigeria:
Residents of Elmina,
Ghana 'Demand' that
Obama Visit the Town
The Ghanaian Times:
Minister
Denies Obama-Visit Cloth Printed with State Funds
Ghana News Agency:
Obama-Visit Souvenir Cloth Goes on Sale
The Ghanaian Times:
'Why Obama Snubbed Nigeria'
The Daily Sun, Nigeria:
The 'Stoning' of President Barack Hussein Obama
This Day, Nigeria:
Obama's Choice to Visit Ghana and Not Nigeria Should Be a Lesson to Us
Boobab, Nigeria:
If Obama
Comes to Nigeria, 'I Will Stone Him'
[Posted by
WORLDMEETS.US July 9, 6:28pm]
