The flagbearer of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, has urged government to invest in local companies as a means of boosting the economy and reducing unemployment in the country. According to him, government should be able to reserve a quota of contracts for Ghanaians as well as financially assist businesses so they can expand. She said such a move will help to create jobs for the many unemployed roaming the streets. Dr Nduom was speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem Wednesday at the commencement of his tour of Tema, which is largely considered the industrial hub of Ghana, to get people acquainted with the PPP. While sharing his vision with show host, Frimpong Manso Adakabre, Dr Nduom explained that the government has a high purchasing power in the country as well as being the main source of employment so if it (government) decided to invest in wholly Ghanaian products and companies, the economy would see a great improvement. He said if for instance government would give electrification and road construction contracts to Ghanaians, as well as resource and assist those who do not have enough knowledge about a certain area it would create the jobs that all Ghanaians are looking for. He blamed successive governments for not coming out boldly to state their support for local companies, saying they could have used a portion of the taxes collected in the country to support Ghanaian businesses. He added that it was a possible thing to do as there had been examples of it in Korea, the US and Japan. Dr Nduom emphasized that the PPP will undertake such an initiative because it is not afraid of being influenced by any Western country; stressing that even those countries do not respect anyone who doesn’t help his own. Espousing further on his vision for the country, he said his party will revamp the economy focusing on major areas like manufacturing and agriculture which will be revived to boost Ghana’s trading prowess. Dr. Nduom also emphasized education as the key to solving most of the problems crippling the country stating that his party would invest every last dime to ensure that the populace is educated. He continued that the PPP will make education; from Kindergarten to Senior High School free, compulsory and consistent to enable every child get access to education. His emphasis was on the compulsory aspect which he says the two major political parties have not really been bold to talk about and stated that his party will insist on every child going to school. Dr Nduom said the constitution mandates that education, at least from the basic to Senior High School is compulsory but that has not been strictly enforced resulting in a lot of children not being in school. According to him, it will be difficult to get people investing into a country which has a poor educational system and citing examples of the massive failures in the BECE over the years among others, he said nobody would be interested in bringing jobs and other opportunities to a country with such a poor record. He also promised that the PPP will also invest in educational infrastructure like classrooms, teachers’ bungalows, sanitation facilities, libraries, playgrounds among others to boost the standards of education in the country.