Takoradi April 14, GNA - Mr. Dan Botwe, a former Minister of Information, who is aspiring for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential slot, has said the government should not allow the 2008 elections to divert its attention on the implementation of development policies and programmes.

Speaking at an encounter with the press at Takoradi after a one-week tour of all the 22 constituencies in the Western Region, he said it would be prudent for the government to start serious electioneering campaign close to the period of the elections. Mr Botwe, who is also a former General Secretary of the NPP, said the government had chalked many successes in all sectors of the economy but a lot more remained to be done.

For this reason, the government should strive to fulfil its electioneering promises to increase its chances of winning the 2008 elections.

He said his campaign tour of the region was highly successful as had been his tour of six other regions, adding that he hoped to tour all constituencies in all 10 regions to enable him gain insight into their problems and better understand the country. He denied allegations that he was campaigning for one of the party's presidential aspirants saying he would contest the presidential slot to the very end.

Mr Botwe said he would resign his position as Chairman of the Research and Strategy Committee of the party soon to enable him to enter fully into the race for the presidential slot because the Chairman of the Committee was a member of the Vetting Committee.