NDC MEETS SPIO, AHWOI IN CAMERA

...but leading member not happy with Anyidoho`s outbust
Posted: Thursday, October 08, 2009


By Charles Takyi - Boadu |


The acting Communication Director of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Seth Ofori has told The Chronicle that the leadership of the party has started holding closed door meetings with Dr. Ekow Spio Garbrah and Mr. Ato Ahwoi, both leading members of the party.

The two party stalwarts were recently engaged in a media war, which was ignited by the publication of an article in the Daily Graphic, written by Dr. Spio Garbrah, the CEO of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO). According to Mr. Ofori, the party was not happy with the media war, hence its decision to intervene and ensure that there is total peace in the ruling party.

According to him, the decision to call a truce and prevent the two from making further public comments should not be misinterpreted to mean that they have been gagged by the party.

Mr. Seth Ofori further told The Chronicle that details of the closed door meeting would be made public at the appropriate time, and that supporters of the party would not be kept in the dark over the issue.

He urged all party members to refrain from making comments which have the tendency of bringing division into the party. Meanwhile, the party’s Executive Committee has expressed disgust at the twist and turns of the ensuing heated exchanges between Dr. Spio-Garbrah and Mr. Ato Ahwoi, and called for a cease fire.

In the statement signed by party Chairman, Dr. Kwabena Agyei, the Committee noted - "While the party tolerates and encourages progressive debate and expression of divergent views on matters relating to the performance of the government and party in general, it nevertheless disapproves of criticisms and utterances that tend to bring the government and the party into disrepute and ridicule.

Equally so, we eschew political debates that degenerate into personal attacks."

For this reason, the NDC as a party has advised the two leading members to "desist from any further utterances that could inflame passions and undermine the unity of the party." The leadership further appealed to the rank and file to remain calm and steadfast in their resolve to build a strong and united NDC.

Meanwhile, Issah Alhassan reports from Kumasi that a leading member of the party, Nana Ishmael Butler has described as shameful and trivial, a recent outburst by the Director of Communication at the Castle, Mr. Koku Anyidohu, on a Ghanaian radio station in London, over the rift between Dr. Spio Garbrah and a leading party member, Mr. Ato Ahwoi. In the infamous interview granted to FOCUS RADIO, a community based radio station in London and re-played on Angel FM in Kumasi , Mr. Anyidohu was reported to have launched vituperative verbal attacks on the personality of the former NDC Presidential hopeful, and went to the extent of questioning his academic credentials, by describing his doctorate degree as a cheap one.

The Director of Communications at the Presidency, who was obviously livid about recent comments made by Dr. Spio Garbrah concerning the efficacy of the Ministers under the current administration and the people around the President, was at his lashing best when he poured verbal venom on the former Ambassador to the United States and CEO of Commonwealth Telecommunication (CTO), accusing him of contributing little to the electoral success of the NDC.

Mr. Anyidohu, contended in the said interview that Dr. Spio Garbrah cannot compare himself to people like him who deserted their jobs and dedicated their whole life to ensure the success of the NDC party during the 2008 elections, because he (Spio) was busy concentrating on his job as the Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Telecommunication Organization at a time the party needed his services.

But Mr. Anyidohu’s outburst appears not to have gone down well with the leading NDC member based in Kumasi, who has challenged the basis of Mr. Anyodohu’s assertion that Dr. Spio contributed little to the achievement of the party.

Nana Butler stated that the Communication Director’s claim was wrong, contending that the little contribution made by every member of the party culminated in its victory.

He asserted that no single individual could attribute the success of the party to him or herself and urged Mr. Anyidohu to bow his head in shame for his unwarranted comments against no mean a personality than Dr. Spio Garbrah, whom he described as one of the pioneer contributors to the NDC.

According to him, the behaviour of people like Mr. Anyidohu would only contribute to the demise of the ruling party if it is not nipped in the bud.

If Anyidohu thinks he abandoned his job to serve the party, what about some of us who endured the pain and humiliation from NPP supporters in the Ashanti Region, what about those who toiled day and night in the villages garnering support for the party, Koku Anyidohu should give us a break, Nana Butler ranted.