Obama's pre-welcome jamboree held in Kumasi

Kumasi, July 5, GNA - The Atta Mills Foundation, a pro-democracy non-governmental organization (NGO), on Saturday held a mammoth cultural jamboree at the Centre for National Culture (CNC) in Kumasi in honour of United States President Barack Obama who is due to visit Ghana on July 10.

The event was on the theme: "Strenghtening Democracy in Africa - The Role of African Culture".

The jamboree saw varied displays of cultural activities by different cultural troupes whilst prayers were said for the visiting President, the nation and her development.

Speaking at the function, Togbui Mawufeame Fugah, Life Patron of the

Foundation, said it behoves on Ghanaians to see the visit of President Obama as

a blessing to the nation since it was the first by an African-American President to

Sub-Saharan Africa. He stressed the need for the nation to therefore take advantage of the

visit to partner the US in brainstorming to develop all sectors of the economy for

the sustainable socio-economic development of Ghana. Togbui Fugah pointed out that much as democracy was good for Africa,

there was the need for strengthen its structure and concept to reflect the African

way of life. He said the Foundation was committed to complementing government

efforts in strengthening the nation's democracy through workshops, talk-shows

and outreach programmes. Mr Kofi Opoku Manu, the Ashanti Regional Minister, who chaired the

occasion, commended the Foundation for the jamboree as a pre-welcome

activity for the visiting President and hoped the event would create the necessary

awareness among Ghanaians. He said government had planned well to ensure that President Obama's

visit served the nation's interest to help Ghana achieve its development goals.