Koforidua, April 9, GNA- Mr Ofori Ampofo, founding member of the Ghana National Party (GNP), has said that the country need an "economic shake up" to achieve economic independence if Ghana was to succeed. He said in 1957, the country achieved political independence but 50 years after, Ghana was yet to achieve economic independence and free itself from the dictates of neo-colonialists and ensure a better living standard for its citizens.

Mr Ampofo was speaking at the inauguration of the Eastern Regional branch of the GNP in Koforidua on Wednesday, which was attended by a large number of youth. He said Ghana had all that was needed to ensure high economic performance, better standard of living and better wages for the citizens to help reduce corruption in the system, if the economy was efficiently managed.

Mr Ampofo explained that, the founding fathers of the GNP decided not to join any of the already established political parties because almost all of them had been part of the ineffective economic mismanagement of the country and so it would be difficult for them to support any of them. He said the founding fathers decided to establish the GNP to push their agenda for a better change. Later, a nine- member regional executive under the chairmanship of Mr Dickson Darko was inaugurated. 09 April 08