Kumasi, Oct. 2 GNA - Professor Mike Ocquaye, presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has promised to lead a joint West-African action towards the eradication of malaria in the sub-region if he is given the mantle as the next president of the country. The move, he said formed part of his vision to ensure that the citizenry and West Africans in general lead a malaria-free life for increased productivity.

"In Ghana malaria causes 35 to 40 per cent of hospital attendance whiles it kills an African child every 30 seconds," he noted, saying the disease also costs the continent about 12 billion dollars every year. Professor Ocquaye was addressing delegates and supporters of the NPP at the launch of his flagbearership campaign in Kumasi on Tuesday. The presidential aspirant indicated that, he would intensify research into mosquito eradication, introduce more comprehensive preventive methods and preventive drugs to deal with the disease-causing parasites. He further gave the assurance that he would establish pragmatic programmes to help provide basic necessities to life, including food, shelter, water and clothing for the betterment of the lives of the needy and poor in the society.

Prof. Ocquaye described himself as the best presidential candidate among the rest, capable of continuing from where President John Agyekum Kufour would leave-off and enumerated his immense contribution towards the development of the NPP in various capacities over the years. "I have the expertise, experience and knowledge to take the country's development to another level if given the chance," he observed. He said as part of his plans to ensure that the nation achieved a middle-income by 2015 through education, all districts, municipal and Metropolitan Assemblies would be empowered to take the centre stage in the nation's education process.

"I will work hard to ensure that the educational budget is appropriately decentralized for quality education delivery", he said.