and address parliament before he and first lady Michelle Obama tour the Cape Coast Castle , which was used in the trans-Atlantic slave trade . Security has been tight all week in Accra , and Ghana plans to deploy some 10,000 security forces during Obama 's visit , according to Ghana News Agency -LRB- GNA -RRB- . The White House has set up SMS codes to allow people across Africa to send `` words of welcome '' via text message to Obama during his visit . Obama has already received thousands of messages , and plans to answer several of the questions sent to him , the British Broadcasting Corporation reported on Thursday . Bill Clinton was the first U.S. president to visit Ghana , in 1998 , as part of a six-nation Africa tour . Obama 's predecessor , George W. Bush , stopped there during a four-nation Africa tour during his last year of office that largely focused on U.S. aid programs . Ghana 's government named a road after Bush to recognize his government 's contribution towards the country 's development . As the United States ' first African-American president , Obama 's trip has broader significance
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A street vendor in Ghana 's capital sells small American flags with an image of President Obama on them , in front of a billboard that proclaims `` Akwaaba '' -- or `` Welcome '' -- next to a smiling image of the U.S. leader . President Obama says he chose Ghana partly because of the `` democratic commitments '' by President Mills . When Obama arrives in Accra on Friday night , he will be the third sitting American president to visit the West African nation of Ghana . But unlike Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush , Obama is only visiting Ghana and no other country in the continent . Obama said he picked Ghana as the first African country he would visit as U.S. president partly because of the `` democratic commitments '' demonstrated by President John Atta Mills , who took office in January after a close election . `` By traveling to Ghana , we hope to highlight the effective governance that they have in place , '' Obama said Tuesday in an interview with AllAfrica.com . During his 24-hour visit to Ghana , Obama will meet with the president