Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, a founding member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Saturday declared his intentions to contest for the Greater Regional Chairmanship of the party.

He said Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, the current Regional Chairman and Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs was depriving the party of its regional focus, strength and vitality through his active involvement in governmental affairs to the neglect of the party machinery in the region.

Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe in a statement to the Ghana News Agency said the demands of the high office of a senior Cabinet Minister were such that Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey could not effectively run the party machinery at the regional level.

The NPP is scheduled to hold its Greater Accra Regional Congress in August to elect regional executives.He noted that the region was vital to the party as it prepared towards retaining power in the 2004 general election and calls on the rank and file to support him in his chairmanship bid to transform and redeem the sinking image of the party.

Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe noted that modern political organisation demanded full time concentration, consistent development of party structures and systematic mobilisation of the masses.

"This can not be combined with Cabinet responsibilities, hence the need for a Positive Change in the regional structure to safeguard the fortunes of the party in order to awaken the electorate to re-elect President John Agyekum Kufuor in the 2004 general election," he said.