Accra, July 3, GNA - The Minister of Transport, Mr Mike Hammah, has expressed satisfaction with preparations being made at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) towards the pending visit of the US President Barack Obama.

"Generally I am impressed with what has been done so far. There is a great deal of improvement since the last time I came here," Mr Hammah said when he toured the KIA on Thursday to see how suitable the airport was for the arrival of the U.S President.

The Transport Minister said whilst he was pleased with the preparations being done, it was important to keep the airport in good shape at all times.

"We should not care about maintenance only when a prominent person is about to pay as a visit," he said.

Mr. Hammah noted that a lot of work needed to be done to achieve the KIA's aim of becoming an aviation hub in West Africa. He urged managers of both the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and the Ghana Airports Company Limited to always ensure that the airport operated under standard aviation regulations. Preparations such as painting, road reconstruction, the mounting of flag posts, among others, were being carried out at the KIA. President Obama is expected to pay a two-day official visit to Ghana, from 10 to 11 July.