CPP is not against foreign companies-Dr Osafo

Takoradi Oct. 6,-GNA-Dr Kwaku Osafo, a Presidential Aspirant of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), on Saturday said the Party and its founder, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the first President, were not against foreign companies investing in the country.

Addressing a press conference at Takoradi, he said Dr Nkrumah promoted foreign direct investment and ensured that the country obtain good equity from the companies.

Dr Osafo said when the CPP comes to power, it would continue the work of Dr Nkrumah in this direction to improve the country's equity in foreign companies.

He said the Party would make it possible for the government, institutions and individuals to have equity in Banks. Dr Osafo said the government must have more equity in the banks to enable the country derive more benefits from the banking system. He said the private sector cannot be the engine of growth of the economy because the country is a developing economy and most funds are in the hands of the state.

Dr Osafo said the state and the private sector must play complementary role in developing the economy, promoting education and grooming entrepreneurs.

He said if this were not done, the means of production would be in the hands of few individuals.

Dr Osafo said development is about the dignity of the human being and dignity is a collective responsibility that all Ghanaians must work towards.

He said corruption is a big problem in the country and asked presidential aspirants of all political parties to declare their assets as he has done to help eradicate corruption. Dr Osafo said corruption deprives the country of the needed funds to construct social infrastructure to relief poverty. He said the fight against corruption should be the collective responsibility of all Ghanaians and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (Chraj) should be empowered to prosecute corrupt people.

Dr Osafo said people should not pay lip-service to the fight against corruption otherwise it would never be eradicated. He said the Western Region would be worse off when oil exploration begins if corruption is not stamped out.