Kofi Akpaloo to contest 2012 prez elections ... As independent candidate

A YOUNG Ireland-based Ghanaian Accountant has declared his intention to contest the 2012 Presidential elections as an independent candidate.

Mr. Kofi Akpaloo, the presidential aspirant, who failed to win the Parliamentary seat when he contested the 2004 elections as independent candidate for Manhyia constituency, claims God has called him to lead the country to create wealth and, therefore, expects a landslide victory at the polls. “I will win easily,” he confidently declared.

Mr. Akpaloo, who turns 40 in October this year, says by his aspiration, he intends to reduce poverty in Ghana.

Announcing his bid at a press conference in Kumasi on Monday, Akpaloo said his government would create, transfer and expand wealth, in conjunction with the private sector.

He said he would assist the private sector with financing to start-up at least 1,000 companies yearly, and contribute to the achievement of a proposed zero percent graduate unemployment.

The aspirant said the leadership of the NDC and NPP have refused to create wealth and, therefore, have lost focus, for which reason Ghana is bound to remain poor if the people continue to vote for the NPP or the NDC.

Under a proposed transfer programme, Akpaloo would introduce a minimum wage of GH¢1.00 per hour; GH¢20.00 Child Benefit a month, a GH¢50 unemployment benefit a month as well as a GH¢60.00 monthly allowance for old persons above 65 who are not on formal pension. He said as responsible as his government would be, Ghanaians home and abroad, would be encouraged to develop the culture of savings and investment by pooling resources to ward off IMF and World Bank offers and conditionalities. He said his government would empower Ghanaians to invest in businesses and make Ghana a paradise.

Akpaloo indicated that $42 billion would be injected into the reconstruction of the road networks nationwide, after which 50,000 buses would be provided besides the construction of about 100 State-of-the-Art Ultra Modern hospitals through out the country to promote medical tourism and generate revenue.

Under his administration, there would no longer be shanty towns since he would provide affordable rental rooms and houses, particularly for graduates. The presidential hopeful stressed the need to invest heavily in the areas of education and sports as well as create business incubators at the regional levels where students would hatch business ideas to form the basis of development and technological advancement.

The aspirant indicated that since sports is a revenue generating industry, he would take the discipline to a different level by introducing a new league to be contested by teams from all 230 constituencies, besides the intention to develop basket ball.

Mr. Akpaloo also has plans to stop land litigation with the introduction of conveyance, where solicitors of two parties would trash out legalities before they go into transactions in the acquisition of land. He also intends to introduce Citizens Advisory Bureau where the people would access information. Among other lofty ideas, Akpaloo intends to adopt to champion his aspiration are the export of skilled labour under which more professionals would be trained to meet global demand.