General News of Tuesday, 18 May 2004

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Message From Independent Prez Candidate: Ramon Akoto

Fourty seven years has passed since our independence, Ghana is still facing Corruption, Poverty and high death rate. Under incompetent Administration, the Ghanaian economy continues to flounder. Slow growth has turned into no growth and into a sinking economy. Ghanaians in all walks of life are facing a future of less prosperity and more resignation. Ramon Osei Akoto will turn the Ghanaian economy around and point upward toward the future.

I will take office with a new set of ideas about how to get the economy moving. I have a plan to wipe out corruption in 3 years by computerizing all government operations. Due to a high illiteracy rate in Ghana, I have implemented a strategy that will allow the uneducated to be able to interact with the government through the use of computers. A multi-lingual electronic government. For the first time in Ghana?s history, computers will speak Ghanaian languages. This application will enable Ghanaians to see all government financial records in their own native languages, 24 hours a day, 7 days week.

I believe in life long education and that is why I have promised to create 5 million jobs in Ghana in 3 years.

Within 3 years, Ghana will be free from Mosquitoes which is the main cause of death among Ghanaians.

Ghana?s education will be the best in the world when I become the next President. My administration will make technology take center stage in developing Ghana.

I am the youngest candidate with new ideas to move Ghana forward.

I understand that ensuring every child the highest quality education is essential if Ghana is to become strong and competitive in today's economy. That's why I will make education my top domestic priority.

In today's knowledge-based economy, it's just that simple. Education leads to the future success and security of our country and citizenry.

The success stories that will come from public schools, during my administration will be greater than at any time in our history: higher graduation rates, increasing test scores, and higher student achievement - with especially substantial gains among our neediest students.

Ghana needs a young man with innovative ideas. A Non-Partisan President who will work with all political parties without any discrimination nor favoritism, in order to move the country forward. And that President has to be Ramon Osei Akoto. Now is the time to get raid of Corruption and bribery. Now is the time for Ghanaians to come together as One nation, One people with One agenda.

Ramon Osei Akoto knows that investments without accountability are a waste of money and that accountability without investments are a waste of time. My oponents offer neither real accountability nor reasonable investment. What they do offer are corruption and bribery. They refuse to invest in Ghana's crumbling schools and crowded classrooms - spending 100 times more on bigger government than on education and private sector growth.

We cannot afford - materially or morally - to let another generation of Ghanaian children pass through inadequate schools before we make needed changes that will save them from a lifetime of frustration and limited horizons. The time for action is now.

By the end of the my presidential term, we should have a fully qualified, well trained teacher in every classroom in every school in every part of Ghana - and every teacher should pass a rigorous test to get there.

By the end of the my presidential term, every failing school in Ghana should be turned around ? or shut down and reopened under new public leadership.

By the end of the my presidential term, we should ensure that no primary school student graduates unless they have mastered the basics of reading and math - so that the diploma they receive really means something.

By the end of the my presidential term, every primary school graduate in Ghana should be computer literate.

By the end of the my presidential term, high-quality, affordable pre-school should be fully available to every family, for every child, in every community in Ghana.

By the end of the my presidential term, every child should learn in a safe, modern classroom with the most up-to-date technology.

By the end of the my presidential term, the achievement gap between rich students and the rest of Ghana's students should be eliminated.

All this I pledge - and more. The time for tinkering around the edges has long passed. We need revolutionary improvements in our government, economy and public schools. This requires a genuine, major national investment; a demand of transparency and accountability from all.