Spio Garbrah Expresses Worry

Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, a leading Member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has urged the Mills administration to expedite appointment of the country's political Ambassadors and High Commissioners, as the delay is costing the nation a lot of possible benefits. According to him, the move had become even more urgent with the successful recent visit of US President Mr Barack Obama to the country. Dr Spio-Garbrah, who was Ghana's Ambassador to the United States from 1994-97, expressed worry that although the names of some prospective Ambassadorial candidates had appeared in the media, absence of Ghanaian political Ambassadors in such high-profile posts as London and Washington would make it difficult for the Mills government to obtain the fullest benefits out of visits paid by President Mills and a government delegation to London some two months ago, and the recent visit by Mr Obama. He said contrary to some widely held views that ambassadorial appointments were largely ceremonial positions, they were rather for serious international businesses, and that in the specific case of the United States, "Ghana would be making a sad mistake if it appointed a slow and dull individual for the purpose of pre- or post-retirement relaxation in Washington, or for reasons of loyalty or other compensational reasons". He said Mr Obama was an energetic, hyperactive, dynamic man with a vision, full of ideas, who wanted to think outside traditional boxes, as such, Ghana should send to Washington an equally vigorous, intellectually alert and action-oriented person such as Mr Obama. "Mr Obama has come to Ghana, met with the President and the entire political leadership of Ghana as well as traditional, business, religious and civic leadership. Ghana now has a special place in his mind and heart as it had in the hearts of Mr and Mrs Clinton, now Secretary of State, when they visited Ghana in 1998 or Mr Bush when he visited Ghana last year”, Dr spio-Garbrah, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the London-based Commonwealth Telecoms Organisation (CTO), added. Dr Spio-Garbrah, however, said that unlike Presidents Clinton and Bush who visited Ghana in their last year in office, Mr Obama visited Ghana within six months of being in office, therefore, there was a lot of room and time for Ghana to nurture such relationship to its fullest, whether Mr Obama serves for one term or two. According to Dr Spio-Garbrah, Mr Obama's speech at the Conference Centre made it quite clear that Ghana would receive strong support from the USA if it continued on the path of democracy, good governance, rule of law and human-centred economic growth. This showed that Mr Obama would like to help Ghana invest in its people and their health. "If Ghana sends the wrong kind of person as Ambassador to Washington - such as a ‘sleeping Ambassador’ - we would have wasted an opportunity of a lifetime," he cautioned. Dr Spio-Garbrah made it clear that having already served as an ambassador to the USA, the advice he was offering should not be construed as self-centred as he was not seeking any diplomatic appointment within the Mills administration or even a return to the USA posting. He noted that he was currently 55-years old and was recommending that the next ambassador of Ghana to the USA should be less than 55 years old and therefore closer to Mr Obama's age. He noted that there was understandable scepticism in Ghana when in 1994, President Rawlings took him out of a career job at the African Development Bank and sent him to Washington as an Ambassador. However, according to Spio-Garbrah, because he was not constrained by some traditional structures of bureaucratic behaviour, he was able to think somewhat differently from what a traditional diplomat or political appointee would have thought and acted. "It was this kind of creativity that enabled me in 1995 to plan a unique visit to eight US cities by President and First Lady Rawlings with an entourage of some 40 people, which helped to lift Ghana's image very high in the United States," Dr Spio-Garbrah said. He noted that for a good ambassador to succeed, such an individual must have a high degree of sensitivity to the needs and priorities of his own country as well as those of his host country. He or she must have a great capacity for creativity, innovativeness, intellectual curiosity, a high energy level, and effective and persuasive communications skills. source: Daily Graphic