Mr J. A. Kufuor, the 1996 flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has asked delegates to the party's forthcoming congress to choose God-fearing persons capable of ensuring unity among the top hierarchy of the party.

He pointed out that it was the lack of unity among the top ranking officers that had adversely affected the smooth running of the party and hindered its bid to win general elections. The NPP congress to be held later this month will elect national officers while the October congress will elect a flagbearer for the 2000 general elections.

Mr Kufuor, who is aspiring to become the party's flag bearer for the elections, was addressing executives of the party drawn from the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese, Cape Coast, Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem and Mfantsiman constituencies at Cape Coast in the Central region.

He explained that the party was selecting its national officers and a flagbearer two years ahead of the next general elections to enable the party to plan and implement effective and efficient strategies to win the elections.

He said the party, which has been in opposition for far too long, would, for instance, need a treasury and research department to mobilise the requisite financial and logistic resources and plan strategies to neutralise what he described as the "negative campaign strategies of the National Democratic Congress".

Mr Kufuor emphasised that the flagbearer of the party should especially be someone who will be acceptable to all Ghanaians and has the requisite political experience and connections to mobilise both local and international support for the development of the party and the country as a whole.

He told the delegates that the party does not necessarily need a rich person or an intellectual. The challenge is to elect a leader who will unite and become a bridge between the elite and the average citizens. Mr Kufuor said he is the most qualified person to lead the NPP since he has the requisite leadership qualities, and urged them to vote for him.