Accra, Aug 2, GNA- Mr Enock Kojo Kwakye, a leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has called on the Council of Elders and the National Executive Council of the party, to choose Mrs. Gladys Asmah, Minister of Fisheries, as running mate to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, NPP flag bearer in the 2008 Election.

He said the choice of Mrs Asmah, who is also the Member of Parliament of Takoradi, would help strengthen and assist the NPP to win more votes, especially in the Central and Western Regions, strongholds of the party.

Mr Kwakye in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), in Accra on Saturday, said Mrs Asmah has the capacity and a credibility to enable her play a major role for the NPP in the upcoming polls. He said Mrs Asmah was the Deputy Minority Leader in Parliament and worked hard with NPP stalwarts like Mr J. H. Mensah to win power for the party in 2000.

Mr Kwakye said the Minister of Fisheries ensured that more fishing harbours were built in all coastal areas to improve the fishing industry.

He said if given the nod, the Minister of Fisheries would "serve as a sacrificial lamb for only one term," after which she would bow out for somebody else to take over, in order to help the party to perform 'magic' in the Central and Western Regions. Mr Kwakye said the time had come for the NPP to depart from always selecting a running mate from the Northern part of the country and select somebody from the southern sector.

He said in the same way that the people in the South would support a running mate from the North, supporters in the three Northern regions should be prepared to support anyone that Nana Akufo-Addo might select from the South to enable the party to win the upcoming elections. He stressed that Mrs Asmah could help the NPP win floating votes from the Greater Accra, Central, Eastern, Ashanti and Western Regions in the December polls.