Friday,
October 3, 2014
Folks, some Members of Parliament
are of the opinion that Ekwow Spio-Garbrah is arrogant, which they consider to
be a major flaw. The news report on proceedings in Parliament prior to his
being approved as Minister of Trade and Industry says it all:
“Minister-designate for Trade and Industry, Mr. Ekow
Spio-Garbrah has been counseled by Parliament not to exhibit arrogance in the
discharge of his duties and to also accommodate the views of personalities who
may not be on the same level of intelligence as he is.
It
does appear that the attitude of the nominee even at the committee was one that
appeared to be bereft of modesty and lack of accommodation for diversity. If
you are a leader, you must accept that not everybody will be at your level. A
major part of leadership is to coach and bring people along in building a team…”
(See: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=328868)
Such
opinions even impugned Spio-Garbrah’s integrity and called into question his
moral values. Interestingly, those expressing such sentiments were NPP MPs (Dr.
Matthew Opoku Prempeh, MP for Manhyia South; Daniel Botwe, MP for
Okere; and Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Minority Leader). Conversely, those
NDC MPs who commented on issues dwelt on Spio-Garbrah’s competence and
prevailed.
I am out to challenge those NPP
MPs and dismiss their sentiments as baseless and mischievous. Ekwow
Spio-Garbrah is not as arrogant as they are. Which of those NPP MPs can be said
to be humble and unassuming? None!! They are all black pots. So, why should
such pots call the kettle black? It makes no sense for an ugly toad to insult a
fellow toad as ugly!!
Here is the rub. But for those
NPP MPs contesting the elections in parts of the country known as the
traditional support base of the NPP, they couldn’t have been elected to
Parliament. They are as arrogant as can’t be imagined. How many times haven’t
we heard of their incontinence? Is it Matthew Opoku-Prempeh or Osei Kyei Mensah
Bonsu? Tweeeeeeeeeeeeeea!!
Was it not extreme arrogance that
motivated Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu to disrespect former President Mills when he
was in Parliament to present his State of the Nation Address? An open show of
gross disrespect for the fount of authority in Ghana comes nowhere near
whatever Osei Mensah Kyei Bonsu has seen in Spio-Garbrah to complain about.
As for Opoku-Prempeh, his sordid
doings or misconduct in the Manhyia area or other parts of Kumasi are too
well-known for me to touch on here. He is one despicable character when it
comes to issues of arrogance and mischievous politics. No wonder he can
function as such in that cabal.
Of course, it is commonsensical
that those being appointed to high public office should be upright and
well-behaved so they can help “civilize” the population and, thereby, grow our
democracy. But as human beings to him perfection is no quality, anybody raising
the bar beyond human capabilities must be operating merely as a political
scarecrow, creating needless panic among the public. Those political scarecrows
in the NPP should take note!!
True, as a human being,
Spio-Garbrah is not infallible. He has his faults; but arrogance is not one of
them. At least, from what he has portrayed so far about himself, I can vouch
for him. If his self-confidence influences his mien and portrays him as
arrogant to his detractors, so be it. In reality, though, he is not what they
have painted him with their big brushes!!
Let me re-emphasize that Ekwow
Spio-Garbrah is not arrogant. He is simply self-assertive, conscious of his own
capabilities, self-confident, assured, and well-focused. That poise frightens
those political opponents who see him as their next gargantuan hurdle in the
race to the Presidency. Spio-Garbrah has all it takes to become Ghana’s
President and poses a serious threat to the really and incontrovertibly arrogant
characters spearheading the NPP’s wild goose chase for political power. So, why
not begin assailing his character now to create the negative impression that
his kind of arrogance stinks sky-high and is inimical to Ghana’s democracy?
Of course, Spio-Garbrah is none to be cajoled
because he has carved an enviable niche for himself by dint of his own efforts.
He hasn’t basked in the glory of any forebear (of the Spio-Garbrah family)
whose accomplishments might have paved the way for him to be where he is today
or will be tomorrow as the higher heights in public service beckon him. He is self-accomplished
and must be admired as such.
Having monitored the events that
have shot him into the limelight that his detractors are wasting their breath
trying to dim, I will be more than willing to lead or join any campaign to
accord him all the recognition he deserves. The man is self-made.
I fondly recall an occasion in
1983 when I first met him and immediately “fell” for him. I was then a student
at the Ghana Institute of Journalism and had the occasion to listen to a talk
given by him at the invitation of Mr. Kojo Yankah (then Director of the G.I.J.).
I haven’t ceased monitoring anything involving him because he is more than fit
for any position willed by his Destiny. He deserves all that he has had so far
and will continue to have. His forte is public relations/communication, which
he proved right in public service in Jerry Rawlings’ administration (Consider
all the portfolio that he held) and in international organizations that appointed
him. Is it the African Development Bank, the Commonwealth, or Ghanaian universities
seeking his expertise to advance?
For someone of Spio-Garbrah’s
calibre to remain strong in public service, cutting across all spheres of influence
and withstanding all the vicissitudes (especially bribery and corruption)
deserves serious pondering. If those NPP MPs had accused him of abuse of office
and substantiated it with evidence to prove that Spio-Garbrah is not fit for
the office being assigned him, I would have been more convinced that they know
how to help us grow our democracy.
But they didn’t. Instead, they
chose to be ridiculously frivolous just for its own sake or to sustain their
kind of rogue politics. They found fault where none was; and they chose to turn
into a dog such a hardworking, conscientious, and honest, give him a name, and
work hard for him to be hanged. That is rogue politics of the highest order!!
I wish that his detractors would
fault him on the basis of immorality and not the vacuous claim of arrogance.
That such NPP MPs should use arrogance as the shortest cut to undermine
Spio-Garbrah speaks volumes. It tells me how insecure they can be too. Ghana
cannot develop with such characters.
I shall return…
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E-mail:
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