BY: Clement Kpeklitsu
The notice of the visit of President Barack Obama of the U.S.A to Ghana in July this year was received with great excitement and surprise by many Ghanaians.
The first reason being Ghana would be his first African stop after his taking of office earlier this year. Secondly, it is significant that he is visiting Africa before even his own homeland or roots, Kenya
Thirdly, it is for probably this overwhelming reason, the President of the world superpower chooses Ghana among all African nations since Ghana is also the leader of wrestling power from the colonial masters and showing other sub-Saharan countries the path to independence.
Obama’s visit has become a daily discussion in the press. Many continue to share their views especially on the significance of Africa’s partnership with America.
Ghanaians have always had some privilege with American Presidents. During the Nkrumah Regime President John Kennedy was making plans to visit Nkrumah’s Ghana before he (Kennedy) was assassinated.
At that time, America was getting worried that Nkrumah was flirting with the East with his socialist ideas and this was what eventually let the CIA to interfere in Ghana’s politics.
President Bill Clinton and President George Bush (jnr.) visited Ghana, expressing their faith in Ghana’s democracy and pledging co-operation especially partnership in meeting Ghana’s millennium development goal strategies.
President Obama’s visit has been preceded by several visits of U.S officials especially those connected with defence fighting of drugs trafficking and other areas of international security. It cannot by gain said that such moves of co-operation appear to be desirable and worth considering.
However, it is only people who are basking in naivety who gloss over the far-reaching implication of a super-power that so hurriedly extends its hand of friendship and takes the initial step to seal a covet treaty by cajoling the simple citizens that it is all for their good without thinking of what the powerful friend seeks in return.
Africans and of course Ghanaians, think they are so helpless that they need the help of vast human and material resources or natural resources that Americans target worldwide, and now the emerging economies of Africa with oil and minerals.
West Coast of Africa has become quite strategic for America. Oil fields are springing up like manna from heaven. Prospectors and transnational oil companies have “pitched their tents” among us and are ready, by contracts, to take away the chunk of the oil wealth.
Obama’s African connections are a real blessing and chance for the USA to woo Ghana for its oil, its coast for American’s military strategy, secretly hidden under the cloak of helping to fight drug trafficking on the high seas and the coast.
Such a move has recently been made under the US-Africom Co-operation whereby the USA will bring some of its military personnel to do joint exercises with Ghanaian counterparts.
This will undoubtedly expose America military to the knowledge of Ghana’s strategies. Ghana is not only a country with many resources but also one that has a geographically convenient seacoast that can easily be a fast link for the US navy and where American fleet can easily ply for military purposes.
Security still eludes the African continent and the troubled spots still continue brewing with agitation as in the Niger Delta and some coastal spots, even in the horn of Africa.
This not withstanding, one can say without equivocation that Obama’s visit is not primarily for the benefit of Ghanaians but that of America.
Obama, our African brother, is welcome to Africa but he is through and through an American with the political sentiments of the typical American and his policies will not depart from the mainstream of the usual American flexing of muscles, military bullying of weaker nations if need be and diplomacy based on having no natural allies but taking advantage of every situation for the benefit of his motherland, America.
This is the time that Africans can tell their brother President Obama that they are proud to have him as a proud son of Africa and America but must remember his brothers and sisters who have not been spared the scourge of every negative force against development from illiterary to extreme poverty, ignorance and HIV/AIDS, poor self-image and lack of confidence and must do well to remind America to forge a more equitable form of development based on fairness and mutual respect, remembering that thousands of Africans still participate in America’s development as migrant workers or green card citizens.
God bless America and God bless Ghana.