Spio-Garbrah: 'I won’t contest MP'

Trade and Industry Minister, Dr Ekow Spio-Garbrah, has denied media reports alleging he is gearing up to contest the impending parliamentary primaries of the ruling National Democratic Congress in the Cape Coast South constituency in the Central region.

According to the consummate politician, he has no intension of being a member of the law making House neither is he nursing the ambition of challenging the incumbent NDC MP for the area, Kweku Rickett-Hagan, who also doubles as one of his deputies at the Trade and Industry Ministry.

In an interview with The aL-hAJJ, an aide to the Trade and Industry Minister, Alhaji Naziru, rubbished the issue currently trending on social media that the once unsuccessful flagbearer aspirant of the ruling NDC is preparing to square it off with his deputy at the yet-to-be announced date for the primaries of the NDC in the Cape Coast South constituency.

“What you are talking about has not come to our attention, but I can tell you that it is not true. Dr Spio-Garbrah has not discussed such thing with me. I’m yet to hear or read something like that," Alhaji Naziru stated.

News went viral on social media, particularly facebook and twitter last week, that Dr Ekow Spio Garbrah is lacing his boots to stake claim to the Cape Coast South seat which is currently being occupied by one of his deputies, Kweku Rickett Hagan.

While many, especially supporters of the ruling party hailed the news as pleasant; with some of them suggesting that the Trade Minister’s rich experience and wealth of knowledge will enrich discussions in the next parliament if he is elected, his critics however, described the move "as retrogression in his political life".

Reports about Spio Garbrah's intention to contest the Cape Coast South seat was fueled by a donation to an orphanage in the Cape Coast metropolis during the Easter festivities.

The Trade Minister, together with his friends and other associates, donated provisions, including bags of rice, bars of soap, gallons of cooking oil, boxes of biscuit, mineral water, tins of tomatoes, and toiletries, among others, all worth about GHC5,000 to the New Life International Children’s Home in the Central region.

This assistance, The aL-hAJJ has gathered, was what made many in the region to consider Dr Spio Garbrah’s gesture as a ploy to pave the way for him to snatch the Cape Coast South seat from his deputy, Kweku Rickett Hagan.

Reacting to news about the donation, Alhaji Naziru stated that the donation had nothing to do with Dr Spio Garbrah’s intension to contest as MP, saying “as a practicing Christian, he believes in the need to help the downtrodden and to give back to society. This is not the first time he has made donations. I have done similar things on his behalf on several occasions. It is something that he has been doing. During Christmas, Ramadan and other festive seasons, he makes donations to people…so this has nothing to do with him intending to contest the Cape Coast South seat.”

Meanwhile, the deputy constituency Youth Organizer of the NDC in Cape Coast South, Alfred Halm has also rejected reports that the Trade Minister is interested in the seat, saying “we have not heard it and so far apart from Hon Rickett Hagan we have not heard of anybody intending to contest here”.

The deputy constituency youth organizer told The aL-hAJJ that the orphanage Dr Spio Garbrah made the donation to is in the Cape Coast North constituency not Cape Coast south, saying “it will not be accurate for someone to say he made donations here so he intend to contest the seat."