WORDS CANNOT adequately describe the ecstasy and excitement of Ghanaians when US President Barack Obama, his wife Michelle and their two daughters Sasha 8, and Malia 10, touched down at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra last night.
Activities in the capital city literally grinded to a screeching halt several hours before the US First Family came out of Air Force One, America's ultra-modern Presidential jet idolized for its sophisticated security fittings and multifunctional ability.
A top class and specially selected 40-man welcome team, led by Ghana's President, John Evans Atta Mills, was at the airport to receive the visiting President and his entourage. The team, according to Information Minister Zita Okaikwei, comprised 20 government officials and 20 from the American Embassy.
The attention-grabbing Air Force One touched down at exactly 9:09pm after which President Obama, his wife and kids, stepped out of the giant aircraft and then exchanged pleasantries with President Mills and the welcome team.
Quite uncharacteristic of Ghana, last night's welcome lacked the usual splendor and spectacular glamour befitting the arrival of important guests. There were no formal speeches and the entire ceremony lasted barely 20 minutes.
The US President, before entering his 'Beast', moved to acknowledge the traditional dancers who were vigorously gyrating their waists in a traditional dance to welcome his arrival at the airport. He called his family to come see the display of the traditional dancers.
DAILY GUIDE gathered that Obama would be given a rousing departure ceremony tonight during which he would be expected to speak directly to crowds of Ghanaians from all walks of life.
Also present at the airport to welcome the US president were Vice President John Mahama and his wife; the Majority Leader of Parliament Alban Bagbin; Finance Minister Dr. Kwabena Dufuor; National Security Advisor Brig. Nuuno-Mensah and a host of ministers, parliamentarians and executives of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) among others.
Hours before the US President landed, Ghana's air space was blocked and no airline was allowed to fly in or out of the country. Major roads around the airport vicinity were also sealed off completely and fully armed security personnel were seen scanning almost every street around the area.
Hundreds of motorists, in a quest to dodge the road blocks, left their offices around mid-day but could not leave the streets before the arrival. They were thus forced to usediverted routes; a situation which resulted in a bumper-to-bumper traffic jams that travelled late into the night.
Many commuters also got stranded at bus stations as commercial transport drivers, having realized that the diverted routes had been jammed with traffic, simply refused to ply those routes.
Hundreds of enthusiastic crowds, dressed in T-Shirts with the portraits of Obama and Mills, however defied the drizzles and the cold night, trooping to the airport amidst a jamboree just to catch a glimpse of the visiting American President.
Among the crowd were other African nationals who had arrived in Ghana a couple of days earlier so they could set eyes on President Obama.
Obama would this morning have a breakfast meeting with President Mills and Ghana's two surviving former Presidents, Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor. He would immediately after that hold closed door bilateral talks with President Mills before paying a visit to the La General Hospital.
The traffic situation in Accra is not expected to get better today as many more roads would be blocked because of the visit. Already, the Ghana Police Service has ordered all bereaved families in Accra who would be burying their dead at the Osu cemetery this morning to postpone all such burials till after 2.00pm.
The US President would also address Ghana's Parliament from the Accra International Conference Center at midday today. He is expected to make a major policy statement on Africa during this afternoon's address and many media houses both local and foreign would be telecasting the event live.
Barack Obama would this afternoon fly to Cape Coast to visit the historic Cape Coast Castle but would first pay a courtesy call on the Oguaa Omanhen, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II at his palace.
Zita Okaikwei last night told the media that President Obama has requested that he be allowed to spend more time at the Cape Coast Castle with his two daughters. She said the visit to the palace would be an indoor event and not open to the public.
By Halifax Ansah-Addo
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