Linda Akrasi Kotey
28 September 2007
Professor Mike Oquaye, who is vying for the most coveted position in the ruling NPP as its flagbearer, says Information Communication Technology would be his number one priority as president of the nation.
He added that, if given the nod, he would make sure all players in every sector of the economy have some form of technological knowledge since the world, in no time, would depend on ICT for everything.
In an interview with The Chronicle on why he wanted to become president, the aspirant noted that he had maximum and rich experience and these, coupled with his love for the country should get him to the Promised Land.
He promised to work hard on part-time education because the school buildings, after normal school hours, have no use and so every schools building would be used for evening schools.
"It would become the fashion of the time as a way of improving oneself," he declared.
He added that teachers, apart from their salaries, would need to improve themselves in order to compete and also have job satisfaction because the academic world is one in which one learned to improve oneself.
According to the aspirant, every teacher would have free further training as they had always been fighting for. He proposed to structure the granting of study leave in such a way that all qualified persons would have a chance of doing two years part-time and one year intensive on campus.
"We will make it automatic. It will satisfy more teachers, train more teachers and make more teachers content," the aspirant said.
The aspirant stressed the need for Mathematics to be learnt as never before because it was the gateway to the applied world. In every field of operation in the modern world, there is the need to apply Mathematics be it insurance, banking, ICT, etc.
He mentioned that it was the computer that would enable Ghana to become relevant and meet the challenges of globalisation in the contemporary world.
Touching on corruption, the learned Prof said it was an evil canker and that avenues for transparency should be created to tackle corruption, adding that he would continue to support the freedom of the media because it was part of their mandate to find and bring out the truth.
He also said he intended to strengthen institutions that deal with corruption, especially the Ghana Police Service so that they would be properly catered for to prevent them from compromising to engage in corrupt acts.
The aspirant lamented that he was motivated to do politics because of the love he had for freedom and his stance against military dictatorship.
He said, in seeking the mandate of his party to be flagbearer, his vision was to make sure that people were able to provide food, clothing and shelter for themselves.
He added that corn could be used to turn the country round if it is used for breakfast, lunch and dinner in a day while it is also use to feed our poultry to lay eggs for children to eat an egg daily.
On the assertion that the party will split after the December congress, the Prof. said the NPP was a very well-endowed party with a lot of capable sons and daughters so it should not be surprising that a lot of people were coming forward.
"We are not fighting. The numbers by itself cannot become something that can create any problem. What is even more important is that every aspirant would sign an undertaking before the elections, which is part of the process of filing nominations."
'Anybody who does not succeed will support the winner,' Prof. Oquaye proclaimed.
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