WHATEVER problem the Minister of Trade, Mr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, has with the alleged publication that he intends contesting his employer, President John Dramani Mahama, in the yet-to-be announced National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential primaries, we on this paper consider it unnecessary.
WHAT is wrong with it, if indeed it is true, after all it is no more a secret that Mr. Garbrah had since his days with the erstwhile Rawlings regime haboured a presidential ambition which he attempted pursuing during the tenure of the late President John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills. And the last time Today checked, Mr. Spio-Garbarh had not abandoned that presidential ambition, so what is the fuss about him challenging Mahama?
AND in fact we at Today see his posture as hypocritical. Our reason is that it could be that if Mr. Garbrah becomes the flag-bearer of the NDC, and subsequently wins the 2016 presidential elections, he will do better than President Dramani Mahama. It is obvious that President Dramani Mahama has failed Ghanaians considering the economic hardships he has plunged this country into which even Spio-Garbrah can attest to.
THE likes of Spio-Garbrah must not allow themselves to be cowed into submission if they have to speak their minds on issues affecting the nation irrespective of what their superiors will think about them. That truly makes them leaders who can take bold decisions on issues that affect ordinary Ghanaians.
WE all know that there is nowhere in the constitution of Ghana that bans a serving minister of state from contesting a sitting president and for that matter we find the ranting of Mr. Spio-Garbrah as unnecessary and mischievous. His response to the said allegation that whoever will decide to contest President Dramani Mahama in the NDC primaries is “senseless” was rather unfortunate.
THE question is: Would he have said this if he were not given that ministerial appointment? Clearly the answer is no! This is what we mean by hypocrisy which has eaten into the body politics of our country where our politicians are found always singing praises of their pay masters even when they are wrong.
BUT this cannot be said about most advanced democracies in the world where appointees of a ruling government will keep quite over ills in their countries simply because their government is in power. And we think it is high time we also adopted that style of governance which undoubtedly is the best form for development.
YES, the trade minister does not owe anybody any explanation as to whether he wants to contest his boss or not, but for him to rubbish the allegation simply because he is currently serving under President Dramani Mahama is neither here nor there, and it does not show a mark of a great leader. Therefore, Mr. Spio-Garbrah must come again!
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