Oseadeyo Yaw Osafo-Maafo, one of the New Patriotic Party presidential aspirants has stated that he would make Ghana the commercial centre of West Africa by improving upon the current economic stability, when elected the party’s flagbearer and ultimately the president of the nation.

According to the former Finance Minister, who was recently appointed by the World Bank as a Financial Consultant to Liberia, it would require little effort to turn Ghana into one of the richest countries in Africa, since it is endowed with an abundance of natural resources worth millions incomparable to any other African state.

He was addressing party delegates from the 26 constituencies in the Northern Region as part of his four-day campaign tour.

Mr. Osafo-Maafo noted that, looking at countries like Switzerland and Japan, although they do not have any natural resources, they are now one of the richest countries in the world and this is what he intends to do for Ghana, when made the president. He therefore unveiled plans to formulate policies that would make the establishment of businesses easier for every business minded and enterprising Ghanaian.

He further disclosed that, he would implement laws and policies that would compel most foreign investors to partner with Ghanaian investors, so as to maximize the benefits to the nation. This will change the trend where all accrued incomes and benefits are sent to the home countries of the foreign investors without the nation benefiting.

Touching on the introduction of money in the NPP’s presidential race, Mr. Osafo-Maafo observed that the huge sums of money being splashed on delegates by his close contenders in the race was a way of paying the accumulated debts they owed the party and its foot soldiers.

According to him, though some of those aspirants practicing the ‘moneycracy’ had been members of the party since its inception; they had not made any meaningful contribution towards its development and sustainability.

Mr. Osafo-Maafo therefore called on the delegates and other activists to accept any money that would be given to them by any of the aspirants. They should however not compromise their decision to choose a visionary, competent, hardworking and honest achiever, a God fearing and development minded candidate for the party with any monetary influence

He analyzed that the 2008 general elections, would be a ‘grand finale’ between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) since the two dominant political parties, would have ruled for eight years each. He therefore called on the delegates to select a candidate like Yaw Osafo-Maafo who had the power, ability and the know-how to win the election for the NPP. Mr. Osafo Maafo said he was also the only aspirant who could unite the party to increase the votes of the NPP from 30% to at least 57% through floating votes to make the election a ‘one touch’ victory.

He outlined some of his contributions to the development of the NPP and the nation. The former Education, Science and Sports Minister noted he was the Director General of the Bank for Housing and Construction in the PNDC era, but he was not afraid to mount political platforms to campaign against the Rawlings’ government.

He noted that he was the same person who took Ghana in and out of HIPC. He also made a promise to Ghanaians that he would lead the senior national team to the world cup in 2006, which he had fulfilled. He contended that his name is now a household one and that the party would not find it difficult marketing him. In his quest to address the abject poverty confronting the three Northern Regions in particular, Mr. Osafo-Maafo said he would stop the importation of malt to make way for our local millet for the production of Guinness and other