Ghana’s current “worsening economic circumstances” under the “failed” Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration demands that individuals and groups such as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) adopt “new and radical economic measures that would help to dramatically change the current sad global narrative” of the country, former Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, has said.

In an article endorsing former President John Mahama for the flag bearer slot of the biggest opposition party, Mr Spio-Garbrah said along with “many other elements of change, Ghana needs urgent and speedy rebranding, along with an IMF bailout”.

Mr Spio-Garbrah said: “The hope in the message of a ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ has been swallowed up by the dark and brackish waters of our Galamsey Waterloo, the monumental tourist attraction of a National Cathedral, ‘Large Hole in the Ground’, and the flights of luxurious fancy and expensive imperial-style jetting at the presidency”.

“It is against this backdrop of the punishing impact of the harsh economic circumstances that I come here as a concerned citizen, who is not willing to be a mere spectator. I have chosen to speak my mind to Ghanaians because of my realisation that I happen to have been blessed with some very specific knowledge and experience that many Ghanaians do not have”, Mr Spio-Garbrah said.

Read Mr Spio-Garbrah’s full article below:

WHY PRESIDENT JOHN MAHAMA DESERVES TO BE PRESIDENT

SALUTATIONS & WELCOME ADDRESS PURPOSE OF BRIEFING:

Dear fellow Ghanaians, represented here by the vital 4th Estate of the Realm, We meet at a very critical juncture in the socio-economic progress of Ghana. Our nation is bankrupt, broke and impoverished, Ghana is being pillaged, despoiled, and raped daily. Our major national institutions are breaking down.

The Presidency, Parliament, Judiciary, Media, Law Enforcement and National Security Agencies have all become objects of scorn at one recent time or the other. Many of our banks have failed or been made to fail; others are on various kinds of financial life-support. Our economy overall is in tatters and off balance. We still import far more than we export. Our cedi is at its weakest since it was created. We need far more than a USD 1 billion per year, 3-year IMF bailout. We need strategies that will not lead to mobilising sufficient new money into the economy. Ghana needs radical new ideas, and some of us are glad to be here, and able to help, if asked.

By God’s Grace and His bountiful mercies, I have been blessed to have looked into the inner sanctums of global decision-making: from the White House to Buckingham Palace, from the French Elysee Palace to the German Bundestag, and from the South African Presidential Lodge, and the Japanese Diet, to the halls of the African Union in Addis Ababa.

My work experiences have spanned working with the world’s largest and leading PR and communications company, Hill & Knowlton, to the Commonwealth Telecoms Organisation, whose digital cousins, the ITU convenes all the owners of global digital knowledge. That is not knowledge and contacts that Ghana should take for granted. I have been able to make an impact within the walls of the citadels of global financial decision-making, the Bretton Woods institutions, of which the IMF and the World Bank are a part. Based on those experiences, I have a few ideas of my own, and trust that the valuable insights of many others can all be mobilised by the Government and by other institutions.

The current worsening economic circumstances of our country under the failed Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration demands that individuals and groups such as the NDC adopt new and radical economic measures that would help to dramatically change the current sad global narrative of Ghana. Among many other elements of change, Ghana needs urgent and speedy rebranding, along with an IMF bailout.

The hope in the message of a “Ghana Beyond Aid'' has been swallowed up by the dark and brackish waters of our Galamsey Waterloo, the monumental tourist attraction of a National Cathedral, “Large Hole in the Ground”, and the flights of luxurious fancy and expensive Imperial-style jetting at the Presidency.

It is against this backdrop of the punishing impact of the harsh economic circumstances that I come here as a concerned citizen who is not willing to be a mere spectator. I have chosen to speak my mind to Ghanaians because of my realisation that I happen to have been blessed with some very specific knowledge and experience that many Ghanaians do not have.

I happen to be in possession of certain keys to Ghana’s economic recovery that I learnt some 40 years ago while working for such clients as the Government of Indonesia, the Government of Turkey, the Government of the Netherlands, the Government of Austria, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, the largest Bank in the world at the time, Crédit Agricole of France, and an obscure company at the time, then called the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, now better known as HSBC, and several other entities. Among other considerations, I sit before you, in all modesty, with some unique attributes and qualifications.

Among these are that;

a) I am the only NDC candidate whose appointment as a minister was scuttled by his potential for appointment during his vetting. Although that incident prevented me from contributing my full immediate quota to Ghana’s endeavors, I displayed loyalty to my country and party and remained available to serve. That remains a unique experience, tasting rejection.

b) As the only former NDC flagbearer aspirant of our party to have contested on two occasions apart from President John Mahama, (and picked nomination forms for a third attempt).

c) For being the longest vetted candidate for a Ministerial appointment, in 2014 where my vetting took some six cumulative hours.

d) I am the only living Ghanaian who has once supervised the public service work of Mr John Dramani Mahama, subsequently President, when we served together at the Ministry of Communication in the late 90s. As you may recall, two other Ghanaian leaders, who supervised Mr Mahama’s work, were Presidents Rawlings and Prof Mills, who have since died. So, I remain the only man in Ghana or on earth who can attest fully and candidly to Mr Mahama’s capabilities, although many Ghanaians too have come to know him well. That is why my voice must count loudly amongst NDC delegates.

e) I am the only former aspiring candidate for the leadership of the NDC who when asked the question of who would be my running mate if I won the NDC flagbearership contest in 2006, answered, promptly and unequivocally: “John Mahama”. This was at the launch of my flagbearership campaign launch at the GNAT Hall here in Accra.

f) My unique experience in working for some more than 10 major organisations, spanning the private sector, public sector, 4 ministerial political appointments, church Chief of Staff and CEO, University President, 4 international organisations, farmer, consultant, branding and advertising expert, banker, real estate/property developer, places me in a strategic position to recommend to NDC delegates which of the three flagbearer candidates has the greatest prospect of bringing us victory in the 2024 elections.

g) These personal experiences alone should make my voice well-heard above the noise and din of the ongoing campaign.

h) Above all, because I have been campaigning for the leadership of the NDC, there are many in Ghana and overseas who wish to hear my views on the contest that is about to end this week. So, I am also here on behalf of my own supporters and delegates within the NDC who will surely follow my advice on their selection of an NDC leader.

This year, my son, Koby Sebastion Spio-Garbrah, is a parliamentary candidate for Essikado-Ketan in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metro area. Those of you in Essikado-Ketan who think he could be a good leader should vote for him to enter Parliament, and you will see fireworks.

B. RESEARCH OUTCOME AND COMPARATIVE SWOT ANALYSIS OF NDC FLAGBEARER ASPIRANTS FOR 2024.

In order for me and my friends to be in a position to advise delegates, we have chosen to do so on the basis of a well-informed position. Over the past several months, beginning from the December 2022 NDC Congress at the Accra Sports Stadium, my team of supporters and friends undertook some research surveys amongst party delegates, registered members, and sympathisers.

We conducted analysis on the NDC elections results, and undertook an extensive SWOT analysis on the potential NDC flagbearer aspirants who picked Nomination Forms and were deemed qualified by the NDC party to contest the imminent flagbearership elections. The above exercise with my team has greatly aided me to arrive at this personal decision, and to make some suggestions not only to NDC members but to the entire people of Ghana.

• Our research showed that the preference level for President John Mahama as the most credible and winnable candidate of the NDC to contest the 2024 presidential election amongst party members was above 90%. We recognise that this margin would have narrowed in the course of the current intense campaigning, especially in the most recent weeks when we have discontinued our surveys. We nevertheless expect Mr Mahama to win the NDC flagbearership race with a margin of at least 80%.

PROFILE OF JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA

• A careful SWOT analysis into the personality profile under the current circumstances no doubt makes him the best person for NDC Presidential Candidate in the opinion of most of our delegates as well as mine.

Background of JDM

• Born: November 29, 1958 (64)

• Hometown: Damongo (Northern Region)

• Spouse: Lordina Mahama (Brong Ahafo Region)

• Children: Number

• Education: Primary Achimota School’, ‘Ghana Secondary School’ in Tamale.

• BA History, UG (1986), PGD in Communication Studies (1981),

• PGD Social Psychology, Institute of Social Sciences (1988, Russia)

• MP for Bole/Bamboi (1996-2000; 2000-2004)

• Deputy Minister for Communications (1997)

• Minister for Communications (1998-2001)

• Vice-President (2009-2012)

• President Ghana (July, 2012 – Jan, 2017) Amongst the many strengths of JDM, we found out, included:

• Perceived High general popularity (Presidential exposure), which remains a good tool to lure delegates to consider him first amongst his contenders.

• Good relationship with current members of parliament.

• He has a broad base of support from former appointees (Ministers and Ambassadors who still control most of the limited financial resources of the party)

• Good communication skills, including ability to communicate in several languages. Communicate in different Ghanaian languages e.g., Ga, Hausa, Twi and several northern dialects.

• Charismatic and appealing personality to undecided grass root voters.

• Enjoys financial support from relatives and friends and has links with some African and world leaders who stand to support Ghana financially.

• Has an experienced personal communication team who could be very influential and who could convince many wavering delegates.

• Active websites and Social Media publicity build-ins which carry most of his activities to both local and international media is rebranding his public image.

• Effective use of e-campaign strategy (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn).

• Strong achievements in all sectors of the economy compared to the abysmal performance of the current President and the NPP in General.

• Of course, we also acknowledge some of JM’s main weaknesses, including the critical one that he will be able to run only one term when he wins election 2024.

JDM’s Opportunities

• Have key appointees who are still loyal to him and could harness their influence on the grass root to his benefit.

• The current media landscape of NDC communicators is heavily skewed in his favour.

• There are major projects to the credit of his administration which he could use as a trump card for the 2024 Presidential Elections.

Threats

• A win for a Northern/Muslim opposition candidate could slightly reduce traditional NDC votes but can only reduce the winning margins.

ENDORSEMENT OF JDM AS NDC FLAGBEARER ASPIRANTS FOR 2024.

• I wish to congratulate our party comrades who have shown interest in leading us to election 2024. I also congratulate Dr Kwabena Duffuor and Mr Kojo Bonsu and their supporters for coming out with courage to present themselves as alternatives to Mr Mahama. I have always expressed my belief in free and competitive elections within our still-growing polity. I hope Dr Duffuor and Mr Bonsu will gladly work with Mr Mahama after the vigorous contest, just as all of us who contested Mr Mahama had to come to terms with our losses to help him in the national elections next year.

The situation in Ghana has not been worse since we became an independent country. That Independence has nearly disappeared. We need to rescue our country, Wallahi!

• Based on the above analyses and considering the current harsh economic conditions in Ghana, I wish to call on all NDC supporters to unite our resources and strengths behind President John Mahama to win the imminent flagbearership contest and also to win the 2024 general elections.