Accra, May 19, GNA - Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Flagbearer aspirant of New Patriotic Party (NPP), on Wednesday declared: "I stand for unity of our party, a pre-requisite for victory in Election 2012". He said NPP must reduce intra party antagonism, bickering and any negative tendencies that had the potential of derailing the party's quest to regain power by electing a candidate who cut across any perceived divide.

"I am offering to lead our great party not because it is my turn but in order to secure a platform to transform the fortune of Ghana and Ghanaians," Prof Frimpong-Boateng stated in Accra, as he officially launched his bid to contest for the Presidential primaries of the party for Election 2012.

He tagged the campaign as; "Forging Unity in the NPP Family in the Service of Our Great Nation; A Mission for Modernisation". Prof Frimpong-Boateng said: " I want young people to have the education that would equip them with skills, vocation, knowledge and experience to enable them manufacture, fix and repair things as well as solve problems of this 21st Century".

On ethnocentrism, he said his leadership would unite and work with all ethnic groups to help their rapid development to enhance livelihood of the citizenry.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng urged delegates to elect him as a flagbearer since he had the required technical skills to transform the nation's economy in the fight against poverty, ineptitude, disease, drug abuse, filth, crime, indiscipline and incompetence.

"I am offering to lead our great party because I am passionate about healthy food, potable water, affordable housing, and reliable electricity and transport accessible to all," he added. Prof. Frimpong-Boateng promised to encourage women to participate more seriously in the socio-economic development of the country. He said when given the mantle issues relating to corruption that cost the African continent about 148 billion dollars a year would be a thing of the past.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng said "If we are unable to deal with corruption in all its shades and sizes then we should as well forget about any dreams of achieving economic breakthrough. "Ghanaians entrusted me all these years with their ailing heart. Surely you can trust me with the heart of our great party and the heart of our nation at a time when we all need healing".