Mr. Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, former Tourism Minister and President Kufuor's campaign manager in 2000 and 2004 has told The Statesman newspaper that the time has come for him to lead the party to victory and there was no way he was going to renege on that destiny call.

He is among 17 or so people preparing to file their nominations to be elected the 2008 flagbearer for the governing party.

Jake was speaking in an interview with The Statesman last week after the launch of the website on the Joseph Project on the Trans¬ Atlantic Slave Trade at the Toursim Ministry's conference room.

Rebutting claims that he stands to be persuaded to withdraw and throw his weight behind another contender, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, the former Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations, has confidently affirmed his commitment to contend the leadership race to the end.

Though one of the true-blue heavyweights of the New Patriotic Party, Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey is yet to be considered by observers 'as a 'serious' contender for the NPP presidential candidacy. He is one of the group of eight minister-aspirants who were instructed by the President to resign in order to focus on their various campaigns.

A straw poll last month had a large number of those polled wishing he had not resigned his ministerial portfolio to try his chances at the party's National Congress in December.

But, Jake, as he is popularly known, is neither fluttered nor flustered. Rather, he appears to have been heavily inspired by warm receptions he continues to receive as he tours constituencies up and down the country in a test of the proverbial popularity waters.

Conceding his dark horse status, he remarks, "I'm in to cause a surprise. Dare me, and the whole country will know that I'm a strong figure to contend with."

Jake, a PR guru, takes justifiable credit for President Kufuor's back-to-back victories: "I worked for and with the NPP with all my heart, blood, and soul to facilitate the victory of President Kufuor, and will still keep the candle of loyalty burning through my actions."

The son of one of the Big Six founding fathers of Ghana won some public admiration for his solo decision not to hang around until the Castle sorted out what the public perceived to be dishevelment over the mass resignation and their replacements. But, this move has done nothing to strain his relationship with the President.

Jake has not gone far afield in developing his visionary niche for the country's rapid development. He is a passionate believer in his own ability to radically transform Ghana's tourism industry to serve as the main source of employment and revenue for the country.

"The tourism industry can be transformed to anchor about 500,000 Ghanaians in the employment sector when given the needed attention," he said.

An estimated 310,000 students should complete Senior Secondary and other tertiary institutions this year. Jake believes a large number of the increasing number of graduates can be easily absorbed by the tourism industry if more attention is given to that sector.

The biggest challenge facing the NPP government was in finding sustainable solution for youth unemployment. He promises to vote much more resources into tourism if elected President of the country.

Jake, buttressing his loyalty credentials, says he is grateful to President Kufuor for holding trust in him over the past decade and promised to serve as a consultant in the tourism sector to promote the growth of industry even as he tours the country marketing his candidacy.


Source: The Statesman