THE SACRIFICES OF SPIO-GARBRAH TO PRESIDENT MILLS IN THE THREE NORTHERN REGIONS

Ladies and Gentlemen of the press, we are grateful for your response to our short notice for this great occasion. We the Northern Friends of Spio-Garbrah (NFSG) once again are much delighted for the CEO of Commonwealth Telecommunication Organization in London (CTO) to have shown an interest in being the leader of this our great party for the 2012 election. DR EKOW SPIO-GARBRAH faced problems in getting endorsements for his candidature due to intimidations, harassments and frustrations of constituency executives which is appalling in this current democratic dispensation in NDC. We NFSG were amongst those who were involved in getting signatures for his forms in many parts of the country and we know what unnecessary hurdles were put in our way and against Dr Spio-Garbrah.

The fact that Dr Spio-Garbrah left his good job in London to come to Ghana to make an effort to offer more inspiring leadership for NDC, for us is a good sign of his love for the Party. We will continue to invite all NDC well wishers to rally behind DR. EKOW SPIO-GARBRAH to be elected as the leader of our party and subsequently lead us to victory in 2016 election. It is therefore worrying that upon the numerous calls on the NEC to expand the Electoral College to include the branch executives and grassroots supporters especially the polling station executives. Our pleas have been falling into deaf ears and we want to say that if the party wants to risk winning in 2012 election then they should continue but we still call on them to expand it. We want to also say that we are not perturbed by what has just happened to our hero Dr. Spio-Garbrah and we still insist that we are for SPIO and he is our man, we also want to tell other supporters of Dr. that they should continue to support him in all his endeavors and that “he who fights and runs away lives to fight another day.” Ladies and Gentlemen, If Mills government cannot recognize people like Spio who did so much for the party and then candidate Mills from 2000 to 2008 to make him President, then what is our position as young activities of the party? And who will save us from our plight?

It is therefore surprising to hear ministers, ambassadors, board chairmen and other appointees who did not even do 10 percent of what Spio did for president Mills in the 2000 and 2008 general elections when some of them even ran away from the battles, to insult Spio. We know Spio is working in London and does not need any appointment in Ghana, but to show recognition, justice in NDC and sense of belonging for us, we think that he should be given an appointment to also see to our situations as supporters of the party.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we know Dr Ekwow- Spio as a person who was been reshuffled from one ministry to the other to revamp it when they were not functioning efficiently, from education, communication, mines and energy, ambassador to US and Mexico and a person who really refined VAT for Ghana for which we are all enjoying now. It is therefore surprises Ghanaians as to why a person with these wide experiences will be left outside government and considering what he did for the president in the elections when some of the people around him were not there for him throughout the struggle in 2000 and 2008 general election. We want to use this platform to clarify, to educate and inform those who move from media houses exhibiting their ignorance about the contribution of Spio- Garbrah in 2008 election to get it right from us in the three northern regions the sacrifices he offered to the party as well as to the president.

First and foremost, in the northern region in terms of media propagation of jingles, air time for NDC panelist and songs of the party as well as songs of the then candidate Mills he spent a lot of money just for the party and the then candidate. We have recently received copies of the invoices and receipts from many FM stations in the regions regarding the expenses Dr Spio-Garbrah paid for. In Tamale, he paid GH? 1,190 at Radio Savannah, GH? 900 at Radio Justice, GH? 800 at Radio Diamond, GH? 800 FIILA fm.

Secondly, in the Upper West region he paid GH? 1,190 at Upper West radio and GH? 800 at Radio Progress. Finally, in the Upper East, he paid GH? 1,190 at URA fm, and GH? 800 each at Style, Rocky and Nabia FM. Ladies and Gentlemen, the president is aware that at some stages in the run-off during the 2008 general elections the party runs out of T-shirts and posters. It was Spio who printed 50,000 posters and 20,000 T-shirts with Atta Mills face on it for the whole nation, some of which we went to Accra to collect from his house. We know that he paid for many other Radio and TV programmes and advertisements for NDC throughout the nation which even NDC Propaganda Secretary can attest.

Above all, we all read in the newspapers how Spio came from London at his own cost several times to donate money from his salary to the Party only to be made a board member of AngloGold Ashanti. Is this not ashamed? Or that is the best Dr Spio can do for an NDC government in Ghana today?

We again want to caution the grassroots supporters and the delegates going to Congress in July that if people like Spio and the ex-president Rawlings who have helped president Mills is not recognized how delegates can be recognized except Congress time. Therefore delegates to this Congress should reason and not allow their conscience to be bought by the self seeking politician’s by monies and motorbikes.

It is true that most prominent members of our party are of the view that under the leadership of president Mills the country is not running on the principles of the NDC which we are known for. It is therefore not surprising again that Hon TEYE NYAUNU says the president has lost focus as a leader, even honorable ABLAKWA says he is confused by the way the NDC is going as a young man and our able NDC women organizer is thinking that it is only fasting and prayers that can save us. We therefore call on the president to bring Dr.Spio-Garbrah on board in other to promote peace, unity, transparency and stability in our great party to ensure victory 2012.

LONG LIVE GHANA, LONG LIVE NDC, LONG LIVE DR.EKWOW SPIO-GARBRAH SECRETARY

……………………………….. MOHAMMED MUBARIK