Elubo (W/R), Sept. 17, GNA - Mr. Lee Ocran, the former National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for the Jomoro Constituency, says he will no longer contest for the seat in the 2012 general election.
"I will no longer contest but will support a new candidate that the NDC will nominate in 2012".
Mr. Ocran, Ghana's High Commissioner-designate to South Africa, told the GNA that at his age there was the need to sit aside and support young politicians to also serve their communities. He said the present winner-takes-all was one major reason for the increasing hostile attitude of some youth of both the NDC and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
"Politics is like war and when you win there are spoils to share." Mr. Ocran suggested that the winner-takes-all attitudes in Ghanaian politics must change to embrace all sections of the society to ease tension and mistrust.
"I have been in politics since 1979 and each person must be prepared to accept change and move on in life," he said. Mr. Ocran said though he had quit constituency politics he would still make his services available to his constituents and focus his attention at the national level.
He advised young politicians to be humble and honest with the people and stay in touch with them at all times.
"It is dangerous to abandon your constituents though occasionally they will abandon you but you must not give up," he said. Mr Ocran lost the seat in Election 2008 to Ms Samia Nkrumah of the Convention People's Party (CPP).
