Spio Is Masquerading As A Caring Apostle - Okudzeto

For daring to openly criticize his own party led by President Mills, a National Vice Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Ekow Spio Garbrah, has been subjected to some severe tongue-lashing by a deputy minister of Information who accused him (Spio) of being opportunistic and masquerading as a caring apostle.

Dr Spio Garbrah at a Youth Empowerment workshop organized by the Tertiary Educational Institutions Network (TEIN) of the NDC, decried government’s lack of care and sympathy to the plight of the Rawlingses after their Ridge residence was razed down by fire on February 14 during a thunderstorm.

The ICT expert and Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) censured the Mills’ administration for its lack of efforts at providing a residential facility for the former First Family, nine months after their house was gutted by fire, yet earthquake victims in far away Haiti had been supported with $3million dollars by President Mills’ government.

“…disaster victims faraway in Haiti can receive a donation of three million dollars but when a disaster befalls the founder of the party and former President of the Republic of Ghana who by the Constitution is required to be given official accommodation, till today he does not have official accommodation. And yet there are over one thousand Government bungalows in Accra and I personally have identified some of them and have recommended it to the people concerned. NPP don’t take us serious because they see that we are unable to house our own father and are aware that the party is not strong enough to face them in the 2012 election,” he said.

But in a sharp rebuttal, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a Deputy Minister of Information, lambasted the failed NDC presidential aspirant and accused him of playing to the gallery and also exhibiting naked opportunism.

Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News, Mr. Ablakwa said the NDC needs to do some serious soul searching since there is so much naked opportunism within the party.

According to the Deputy Minister, there was a recent meeting of the NDC top hierarchy, Ministers of State and National Security at the castle, present at which was Dr Garbrah, in relation to the accommodation blues of former President Rawlings where everybody lauded President Mills for his efforts.

Okudzeto Ablakwa questioned Dr. Spio Garbrah’s motive when he failed to enumerate on all the many social interventions made by President Mills in just two years of his administration when he met with the TEIN, and speculated that CTO Chief Executive was only seeking to incite the NDC youth against the President.

“You were meeting members of our party…when you tell them this and you tell them that the founder is homeless and President Mills is caring for people in Haiti…you didn’t even add that this same President has also given GH¢20 million to the flood victims, you didn’t even add that President Mills has given more than GH¢100 million for emergency construction of Senior High School blocks to cater for parents and guardians who have been…in the 4 years Senior High School program and many other interventions that President Mills has made. The psychiatric hospital; for more than 10 years no president has visited there... You (Spio Garbrah) did not even use any of those local examples. Dr. Spio Garbrah wants to only incite the youth against President Mills…and portray President Mills as a callous President, a wicked President and an insensitive President; a president who doesn’t care about the founder, the man he served as vice president and who doesn’t care about this country,” he said angrily.

In a couched manner, an emotionally charged Okudzeto Ablakwa labeled the former Communications Minister as a sheep in wolves clothing for masquerading as a caring apostle, pointing out that "it’s not fair to the president of the Republic".

“What is happening in the National Democratic Congress, this naked opportunism which is masquerading, naked opportunism and plain safe incitement…masquerading as apostles who care for the people and are concerned about the people is not fair to our country, it’s not fair to our party and it is not fair to the president of the Republic,” he screamed.

The Deputy Minister who indicated his willingness to quit being a member of the NDC should the need arise, accused the CTO Chief Executive of perhaps planning to organize a ‘coup’ against the party and President Mills, since not a single NDC National Executive official was aware of his meeting with the TEIN.

“What is this? The naked opportunism in this party is too much…If some of them think we’re talking like this because we have positions today we’re ready to leave any day. I’m not sure that my destiny is cut to or tied to a position given by Prof Mills. And I’m happy that the good Lord is exposing these things. So the things you will say without the media when you meet youth from all over the country, you’re hoping that the media will not capture it. And when the media is there, you say things differently. When you met with the President at the National Executive committee you laud the President, you thank him for the good he’s doing for the Founder and all of that. You come out and you’re saying different things with the excuse that you thought the media will not be there, God save us!” he stated.