Ghana continues to be a good-news story economically, democratically – Obama

US President Barack Obama has praised Ghana as a model for Africa in terms of democratic practices as well as economic development.

“…Ghana has proven, I think, to be a model for Africa in terms of its democratic practices,” Obama said when he Ghana’s President John Atta-Mills at the Oval Office inside the White House March 8, 2012.

In addition, Mr Obama remarked “Ghana has become a wonderful success story economically on the continent.”

According to the US President, despite the challenges on the African continent, Ghana is always a success story.

“There are sometimes — there’s sometimes a tendency to focus on the challenges that exist in Africa — and rightfully so.  But I think it’s important for us to also focus on the good news that’s coming out of Africa, and I think Ghana continues to be a good-news story,” Obama told President Mills, according to a White House transcript.

President Mills, on his part thanked Barack Obama for the very warm reception and said “democracy goes with development.”

“And if you come to Africa, our people are yearning for only one thing — improvement in their daily lives.  And there can be no development without peace, which means that we should do the things which will ensure that there is peace and that there’s no room for conflict, President Mills said.

Prof. Mills assured Mr Obama that Ghana will have elections this year and “we are going to ensure that there is peace before, during, after the election.”

By Ekow Quandzie