A presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Professor Mike Oquaye, has allayed the fears of the party faithful that the party might come out of its December congress divided because of the large number of aspirants who want to lead the party to next year's general election.

He said the danger of the party coming out divided was only possible when there were only two contestants in the race and who might fight tooth and nail to win and the loser not willing to concede defeat.

Prof. Oquaye said this when briefing the press after filing his nomination at the party's national headquarters on Friday to contest the flagbearership of the NPP.

He said what was happening in the NPP was not a quantitative contest but a qualitative one.

Prof. Oquaye said the NPP was a party of destiny which needed Ghana and Ghana also needed it.

"The party believes in democracy, good governance and fairness. That is the tradition which Dr Danquah and Busia fought for and which we have to protect even with our lives," he said.

He thanked the General Secretary of the NPP, Nana Ohene Ntow, for the assurance that the establishment would be fair to all the aspirants and would ensure transparency in all its processes, calling for the constant vigilance of all to ensure that the party remained united.

He reiterated his vision to prosecute his campaign on issues and development strategies that the country need¬ed to adopt to become prosperous just as those other countries out there did to become industrialized economies.

He said he would indigenize everything from health, education, industry etc. because the country could not continue to wear dresses made by others and import almost every conceivable commodity and item needed in the country.

"We have to produce them ourselves," he said, adding that employment would not come by itself unless it was created.

He said when he was the Minister of Energy, he ensured that no cables were imported into the country when there were companies at Tema which produced those items.

According to Professor Oquaye, by that policy those workers which the companies had retrenched were brought back because the factories were in business.

He gave the assurance that under his administration, there would be real development. Professor Oquaye went to the NPP headquarters, accompanied by his wife, Alberta, with many of his supporters wearing yellow T-shirts imprinted with his effigy, amidst dancing to brass band music.

The General Secretary of the NPP, who received the mandatory bank draft of GH¢25,000 (¢250 million) and other accompanying documents, gave the assurance that the party would be fair to all the aspirants to ensure transparency in all its processes.

"We shall be professional and efficient as well in the performance of our duties," he said, and added that with the very good performance of the government, it was just prudent that it did everything well for Ghanaians to retain the party in power.



Source: Daily Graphic