Is president Obama coming to town?

Sitting in a heavy traffic last week Monday, this newspaper vendor seeking to sell his papers kept shouting what he probably thought was the best selling news of the day -" Obama is coming". Indeed, that was a lead headline everywhere you turned in the media.

The newspapers had it and the electronic media took it as one lead topic for review. Yes, we woke up to tile pleasant news of being the second African country expected to welcome President Barack Obama of America to our soils on July 10, 2009.

It certainly will be a day not to miss. For many of us, the closest we can get to him will be to stay glued to our television. But that is okay because he may never come our way again.

Seriously speaking, there must be something good about our country that we here do not see or refuse to appreciate. The news of President Obama's visit makes me even more proud as a Ghanaian.

According to information put out by the White House, the President will not go through Kenya, his ancestral home, because of the political turmoil since their elections in 2007.

I was in London in April when the American President, accompanied by his elegant wife made his first official visit to England and also to participate in the G-20 meeting on the global economic meltdown.

The affection exhibited by Britons towards the first couple of America was infectious. The media focus for the two days was on the American first couple even though there were other heads of state or government and their wives in London at the time.

Certainly, Mr Obama inspires and people are invigorated by him. His personality is charming, his disposition is warm, his story is refreshing, he has a terrific sense of humour, he is extremely intelligent, respects and is respected, a visionary who means well, confident and focused.

Any wonder he was endeared to the heart of one of Europe's old and long-standing politicians, Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, when the latter shouted for the US President to stand next to him during a photo call at Buckingham Palace when they met for the G20 meeting last April?

Then like school pals, President Obama stretched friendship to and put his hand on the shoulders of both the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and later the French President Nicolai Sarkozi as if he has known them for years.

Ever since the information dropped about the visit of the American President, many have asked the question, "why Ghana"? But why not Ghana?

Ghana has shown a steady budding democracy compared to her peers on the continent. It has become a model for governance. Ghana benefited hugely from the US Millennium Challenge Account and was honoured by former President George Bush in the White House.

This same Ghana led by former President John Kufuor was honoured by Germany, another honour came from Buckingham Palace and yet another was showered on us by Chatham House in the UK.

Yes, we have made some mark internationally and so it is no surprise that five months into his administration, the new US President sees Ghana as an ally not only good to have on its foreign relations list but a must have friend on the African continent.

When earlier in the year Mrs Hilary Rodham Clinton was confirmed as the US Secretary of State, during one of her initial interviews, she outlined the US foreign policy that saw Africa as a strategic partner. She specifically mentioned Ghana as having proved to be a stable country on the troubled continent.

President Obama would have been briefed thoroughly by his competent and well-informed foreign policy aides and advisers. His man on the spot, the US Ambassador in Ghana, must have looked into every corner with a newly manufactured microscope before sending to Washington, his report on the state of the nation.

It must be based on such pieces of advice that Mr Obama has made that crucial decision to make Ghana his first port of call as far as the African continent is concerned. Though very short, the visit no doubt will attract global attention and lift Ghana .further high.

Internally, we should begin to minimise the spin and the political colours we give to everything and concentrate more on how to dust up for the day. We should begin to find out how best we can make of the occasion and further build on the US-Ghana relations.

America itself is going through some economic turmoil. Indeed, they are one of the first countries to have felt the horrible pinch of what has become a global phenomenon. The collapse of its top investment banker, Lehman Brothers and the crushing of its stock exchange spelt the beginning of the doom for the American economy.

The country has seen its people lose their jobs and thousands of factories and other jobs closed down. Many home owners in America have lost their homes and banks are no longer able to lend as before. Families have necessarily cut down on their lifestyles just to adjust to the difficult time.

Worrying as it has been for the Obama administration, they have worked extremely hard to put some measures in place including financial bailouts for the banks and have become meticulous with public spending. With the all-hands-on deck approach, America is today hopeful that its economy will bounce back sooner than later.

When the American President is in town, let us have it in our minds that they are also hurting under the global economic crunch. Let us first and foremost do what we are well known to do best - stretch an arm of friendship and give him and his wife a colourful "akwaaba" and wait for his "amanee" for after all he put that call through to our President on his intentions to visit. Let us remember not to use the opportunity to go a-begging.

Even if they have a bottomless pit of riches, the occasion should be better utilised focusing on issues that will better improve the relationship and the respect gained to date. If they prompt us, of course we should look for training opportunities for our navy, engineers, lawyers and a whole lot of technocrats in the oil-related industry - our next gold.

And yes, we will need more export opportunities for our local companies and farmers. Our police service needs training badly in world-class technological advancements to combat some of the crime that is swallowing us up, illicit drugs and counterfeiting.

While busy on President Obama's programme, we should try and make Mrs Obama's day by engaging and leaving her with something to remember and of course to share with her girls, Sasha and Melissa, when she gets back home.

During her visit to England early April, she spent time with women and girls which from all indications, she enjoyed thoroughly. Let us not keep her indoors for tea parties and heavy banquets. She is mindful of her figure.

As a role model, let her share her life encounters and her rare dream of becoming the first Black American First Lady with as many young women as possible. Mrs Michelle Obama is a very affable lady and mixes very well.

Remember the Queen of England got so attracted to her friendship and broke protocol putting her hand around her waist at Buckingham Palace?

The American President and the First Lady are both a joy to have as our guests. They are both down to earth and very much identify with their roots. They espouse hard work and diligence and shun mediocrity. They give you the impression that they enjoy realities more than glorification.

As we prepare to welcome the Obamas to town, let us prove to them that their advisors were indeed right in putting Ghana first before any other African country.

Let us prepare to show them a clean city, hand¬some and beautiful hardworking men and women who know what they are about. In short, we should be sending them back home on July 11 with a feeling that what they heard is indeed true.
Who knows, we may be opening a new chapter for many more millennium challenge accounts to follow when they extend a visit to our Presi¬dent. Our actions should speak for us without us necessarily going with calabashes in hand. Yes, President Obama is coming to town.

Credit: Vicky Wireko (Daily Graphic)