Education, Science and Sports Minister, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, with an eye on the New Patriotic Party presidential candidacy, has expressed optimism that he will be elected as the party's presidential candidate for the 2008 elections. "I have met most of the potential delegates for our December 2007 Congress in all the 10 regions, explaining to them my mission to make Ghana a better place, using our great party as the political vehicle for that purpose. I had very useful interactions with many of them and I am very encouraged by their responses." Papa Owusu-Ankomah was speaking to The Daily Dispatch after completing a tour of the Northern Region, the last of his 10 regional tour last Friday. On the perceived gap between the government and party, Mr. Owusu-Ankomah said if he was elected at December’s Congress, he would close whatever gap that existed between government and the party. He explained further, "there is the urgent need to reform the party, to keep in line with changing trends in political party organisation. For example, the party should have a systematic and continuous programme for our activists, to integrate themselves into the workings of the party at the grassroots. Mr. Owusu-Ankomah who will be 50 years on April 27, 2008, has been a Member of Parliament (MP), for Sekondi since January, 1997. A product of Mfantsipim School, he was called to the Bar in 1981 and was practising as a lawyer before he entered Parliament. The Sekondi MP describes himself as the inter-generational leader who will combine the experience of the older generation with that of the youth. "I have served the party faithfully, I have been an integral part of the efforts to raise the party's profile in the Western and Central Regions. These two regions are no more the strongholds of the National Democratic Congress," he said. Mr. Owusu-Ankomah said he was going to intensify his campaign over the next six months. When asked what his reaction would be if he lost the race for the slot, he replied that "as a faithful party member, in the unlikely event of not winning I would support whoever emerged victorious." Source: The Daily Dispatch