Obama gets jubilant welcome in Ghana

Dunya News

US President Barack Obama received a jubilant welcome in Ghana as he began his first official trip to sub-Saharan Africa where he will present his vision on good governance on Saturday. Thousands of people lined the streets Accra late Friday to catch a glimpse of the first black US president, the son of an African immigrant, after he arrived from a G8 summit in Italy. Obama, his wife and their two daughters were welcomed at Kotoka international airport in the oceanside capital by Ghanas President John Atta-Mills to traditional Ashante drumming, ululating and dances. Obama, who will address parliament, said before the trip that he had chosen Ghana as his first trip to sub-Saharan Africa because it was an example of a functioning democracy in the conflict-scarred continent. During his 24-hour visit, he is expected to push his vision on good governance and economic development for Africa, hours after securing a 20 billion dollar fund to feed the worlds hungry at the G8 summit. The US leader will hold talks during a breakfast with his Atta-Mills, who came to power in January after a cliffhanger election, and then visit a malaria hospital receiving US assistance. Along with his wife Michelle -- a descendant of African slaves -- he is also scheduled to tour Cape Coast Castle, formerly one of the continents main outposts from where slaves were shipped out to the Americas.