body-container-line-1
21.07.2014 Editorial

We Are Disappointed With Spio’s Appointment And Even More With His Acceptance

By The Scandal Newspaper
We Are Disappointed With Spios Appointment And Even More With His Acceptance
21.07.2014 LISTEN

Dr. EkwowSpio-Garbrah's recent appointment as Minister for Trade and Industry is a bit intriguing for us on the SCANDAL. In the eye and mind of the SCANDAL, Dr.Spio-Garbrah is really a 'Bigman'. The first time we met him was in the late 1980's and even then he was a 'big man' working with the African Development Bank (ADB).

He marketed himself as a Communications expert and indeed he is and many Ghanaian journalists who had the opportunity to report on ADB programmes looked up to him.

Dr.Spio-Garbrah returned to Ghana in 1992 joined the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and was even nominated for a Ministerial position but was dropped at the vetting because it was discovered that he was not a registered voter in the country.

He corrected the anomaly at the next election and was made a substantive Minister for Communications in 1996. He also served as a Minister at the Education and also as Ghana's Ambassador to the United States of America. Yes, Ghana's Ambassador to the USA!

Dr.Spio-Garbrah's international exposure put him streets ahead of his colleagues both in the government at the time and the party.

Of course he was later appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the prestigious Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization (CTO), a job that took him around the world and gave him the opportunity to rub shoulders with world leaders. He returned to Ghana in 2006 and contested to be the flagbearer of the NDC. He came second to Professor John Mills and who later became President of the Republic of Ghana in 2008. Again in 2011, Dr. Spio-Grabrah attempted to contest to be the flagbearer of the NDC but unfortunately stopped halfway in the process.

After the infamous NDC Fonkar/Games in Kumasi, Dr. Spio-Garbrah took a back seat in politics and chose to join the Action Faith Church as its General Administrator and also the man in-charge of the International Relations for the Church. The Church established a University (Dominion University) and he was very instrumental in its development.

So we were a bit surprised when we started hearing rumors that President Mahama was about to appoint him into his government. We were wondering just what position will fit this man of such great stature but when we heard he was going to be Chief of Staff we thought that was not bad.

That will be like taking his experience and stature into consideration and making the man a Senior Minister in the government. But we were gravely disappointed when he was announced as Trade Minister to go and take over Honorable HarunaIddrissu's portfolio. When Dr.Spio-Garbrah was Cabinet Minister in 1996, we believe many of President Mahama's Ministers were in primary schools or at best Junior Secondary Schools. If he is going to join this Government then he should be accorded that respect. It was not for nothing that President Kufuor made Mr. J.H. Mensah, Senior Minister in this Government.

But we are even more disappointed in Dr. Spio-Garbrah's own acceptance of the position. Why will a man leave this prestigious job at the Action Faith Church and the Dominion University to return to a position he held eighteen years ago? If you are invited to serve because of your experience, then it should be openly acknowledged. By the way is service in the Church and the University not public service?

body-container-line