General News of Friday, 7 December 2001

Source: .

Spio- Gabrah Not Interested In Party Position

The Chairman of the Media Committee of the National Democratic Congress Ekwow Spio-Garbrah has no intention of contesting the position of the General Secretary of the party, whether by himself or on behalf of any group.

A former executive member of the North American branch of the NDC Kweku Akyie in a reaction to reports that the Mr. Spio-Gabrah is interested in an executive position, described the former Education Minister as someone dedicated to "greater openness, transparency, accountability and structural reform within the party".

He pointed out that Mr Spio-Garbrah has on many radio stations and television networks always emphasised the need for the NDC to repackage itself in order to attract more support from the people and wondered whether that meant the countenancing the "status quo".

The statement added that "It is interesting that some of those who fiercely resisted the complaints and proposals of Goosie Tanoh's reform group are now being presented to Ghanaians by your reporter as the latter day pro-reform group of the NDC".

In a rejoinder to a Daily Graphic Newspaper report which named Mr Spio-Garbrah as a candidate for the position of General Secretary for one of the competing groups at the party's national delegates conference slated for December 28 in Accra, Mr Akyie

According to Mr Akyie, the constitutional amendments being contemplated, apart from bringing about a separation of the positions of Founder, Chairman and Flagbearer, are also to ensure the discontinuance of the title of the leader of the party.

Mr Akyie said Mr Spio-Garbrah had publicly indicated that he was not in contention for the position of General Secretary but claims on the other hand that he was currently enjoying "a groundswell support for him and he might yet be persuaded to join the race.