Other aspirants are copying me - Jake

Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, an NPP Presidential aspirant has stated that the fact that most of his contenders are using his message of using tourism as a major economic pillar in their campaign, is an indication that he is the best candidate to lead the party in next year's general election.

He contended that apart from his message of tourism, some of the candidates also use the vision he has outlined some years back, which have been codified in his economic manifesto dubbed; "Beyond Positive Change-Cooking a Bigger Pot of Soup for Jobs, Jobs, Jobs;', that was launched recently in Accra.

These include Information Communication Technology, Agro Processing, the Sub-Region's Service Centre, Agriculture, Mining, Timber, Housing using earth con¬struction and local building materials, Industry, and the Export of Brains and Labour.

To this end, he appealed to the delegates to vote for him because he is the one whose policies and vision will create opportunities for them and the people of Ghana.

“This is simple. It means that I have ideas that are logical and convincing, and so the other aspirants pick them up and highlight them. So again, the delegates should believe in the originator of the ideas. Before I went to tourism, the Ministry had been lying vacant for about two years, because honestly, in political circles, it is seen as Cabinet Siberia. In other words, if the President should take you to tourism, it means that he has rusticated you, because it is after they have shared all the monies that they give to you.

"So, for me to have gone there and highlighted it such that the people of Ghana are so much enthused about it, and thereby, attracting my contesters to mention it shows clearly my achievements", he declared.

The former Campaign Manager gave the challenge when he took his presidential campaign to the Western and Central Regions for the second time to solidify the support of the delegates for the December congress.

He said the delegates would be doing a great disservice to the party and the nation as a whole, if they vote for somebody because of monetary influence or relations.

"The basic principle is this, just as we go to church and give an offering with the hope that God will bless us, the members are not just following NPP for following sake. They are following NPP with the hope that a government of NPP will create opportunity for the larger good of Ghana and for themselves”, he noted.

Jake indicated that he would unite all the members of the party if he is elected the presidential candidate, which he said, he was more than convinced that he would emerge the victor at the congress, saying that what he only needs from the delegates is just 1,200 votes to enhance his success in the contest.

He said that even though all the aspirants are capable of leading this country, the delegates should look at the one whose policies and vision meet their bruises and aspirations, stressing that this is where he believes that tourism is the pillar around which poverty can be alleviated, and within which jobs can also be created.

Buttressing his claims that tourism is the base around which jobs can be created to alleviate poverty and put money in people's pocket, Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey said the job opportunity around one tourist visit is about 20, where both the one that has the higher degree and the one without benefit.

"I am not just saying it. As Tourism Minister, one of the things that I succeeded in doing is convincing the World Bank that tourism holds the key in alleviating poverty and for that matter, tourism today, has been added to Ghana's Poverty Reduction Strategy. In the past it was not seen like that, but I have demonstrated that. With me therefore as President, naturally, putting tourism first, means that the International community, the World Bank and our development partners would like to put their funding in this areas" ,he said.