Ocquaye states his foreign policy

Accra, Sept. 17, GNA- Professor Mike Ocquaye, a presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), on Saturday said if he is elected President, he would pursue a foreign policy of non-alignment. He said he would propose for consideration, the establishment of a new African Unity (AU) with a constitution that would limit the tenure of office of Presidents of all member countries.

Prof Ocquaye said for any African country to become a member of the new AU it must uphold the human rights and subject itself to free and fair elections.

'Membership to the AU would not be automatic just because one has achieved political independence but rather based on the tenets I have just mentioned"

Prof. Ocquaye was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on his Foreign policy in Accra.

"That new AU is going to have an African Electoral Commission or in the case of our sub-region, the West Africa Electoral Commission, which would be more powerful, have eminent judges including global consultants from the International Federation of Electoral systems (IFS)", he said.

"This powerful body would be well endowed financially and materially in terms of human expertise to ensure that rules governing elections are strictly enforced and adhered to", he said.

Prof. Ocquaye said, the causes of most conflicts on the continent hinges on elections and the wish to become life Presidents, which lead to civil wars with its accompanied pains and sufferings. He said he envisages an African human rights court, the African Court of Justice or West African Court of Justice " similar to the West Africa Appeal Court under the British rule under the new AU. These he said would prevent political arrest and detention of political opponents.

Prof Ocquaye said Ghana's missions abroad would be encouraged to attract foreign investment and aid towards national development. He said whiles in India as Ghana's High Commissioner, he worked towards the realisation of such objectives, which enabled India to give Ghana a 102 million dollars facility.

To revamp agriculture, India made available to Ghana 3,000 tractors to till the land and it's also helping to build a Presidential palace. Prof. Ocquaye said during his tenure as High Commissioner the Ghana Police Service received assistance in the form of books, uniforms, bicycles and Manhadra vehicles from India and also helped to establish the India-Ghana Kofi Annan Centre for Excellence.

He said he would strengthen the country's borders and check drug trafficking as well as other illicit activities. 17 Sept. 07