Accra, Sept. 4, GNA - Mr Daniel Kwaku Botwe, an aspiring presidential candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), on Tuesday appealed to media houses, particularly those affiliated to the party, to be circumspect about their comments on the aspirants to maintain unity within the party after the December 22 Congress. The use of the media to scandalize presidential aspirants, he said was an unhealthy democratic practice, as it had the potential of undermining the Danquah/Busia political philosophy and create a difficult task for the party to manage after the Congress in the event of one such personality wining the flag bearership slot.

"The party will hold media houses and presidential aspirants whose conduct and comments overtly create tension and mar the cordial and peaceful relationships that have existed within the party responsible," Mr Botwe, a former NPP General Secretary and Minister of Information, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra.

Mr Botwe, who is also a former Minister of Information, lauded the efforts and contributions of journalists towards the democratic development of the country, but noted that recent unguarded publications and comments on the airwaves posed a big threat to our democracy. He urged the media to adhere to the ethics of the profession, champion the cause of the vulnerable, create a level playing field for all contestants and ensure that the public were objectively informed on issues to make the right choices.

Mr Botwe also expressed concern about the poor working conditions of most journalists, especially those in the public sector and called on the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the National Media Commission (NMC) to champion a crusade for a review of the salaries and service conditions of journalists in relationship with the salary structure of other workers in the country.

On his presidential ambitions, he declared that he was on course. "I have a very competent team working tirelessly across the country and am confident that our efforts would result in massive vote (for me) at the Congress."

Mr Botwe dismissed rumours that he would step down to support another candidate as "wicked" and called on delegates and sympathisers to lend him the needed support.

He said there was no iota of truth in the rumour that he was only "testing the waters" and would later support one of the nearly two-dozen candidates in the race.

"I am still in the race and will never withdraw," Mr Botwe stressed. "I am not stepping out of the contest. I will give Ghanaians my time-measured plans aimed at developing the country for social and economic development."

Mr Botwe noted further that no one went to war in anticipation of being killed or being vanquished and said adequate measures were in place to ensure he won the primaries convincingly. He said as former General Secretary and organizer he knew how to galvanize support for votes, adding that he placed these abilities at the party's disposal, which culminated in the 2000 and 2004 electoral victories.

Mr Botwe said the 2008 elections would be keenly contested hence the party needed someone who had been with the people through difficult times to retain power.

He said if he had the mandate he would continue to offer selfless leadership to the party, adding that if he became president, he would offer dedicated leadership to the nation and the world. "That's why I continue to appeal to delegates to translate their support into votes on December 22 at the Congress," he stated. Mr Botwe explained that he would continue to pursue a campaign, which would ensure decency in the party, stressing that the rank and file demanded nothing but a clean campaign in the primaries because "we cannot afford to disappoint our members".

He said he had a lot of passion for the nation and would ensure that Ghanaians experienced accelerated development after 2008, since the Kufuor Administration had laid a solid foundation for economic take-off. "But this calls for a leader who has the capacity to lead effectively and I rightly fit into that," he said.

Mr Botwe said, however, that in spite of the economic gains achieved, there was still a high degree of poverty in the rural areas. "As I went round the villages, I saw the vast difference between the rich and the poor and I think an NPP government under Dan Botwe will seriously look at that," he stated. 4 Sept. 07