Ekwow Spio-Garbrah
Encyclopedia
Ekwow Spio-Garbrah is a Ghana
ian businessman, diplomat and politician. He is a former CEO of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) based in London
. He is one of Africa's pre-eminent public servants, and an authority on mass communications who has held several high profile positions in the field. He is a former Minister of Communication of the Republic of Ghana, one-time Ambassador
of Ghana to the United States
and Mexico
, Minister of Education, Minister responsible for Mines and Energy and a member of UNESCO
’s Executive Board in Paris
. He served in the cabinet during the democratic regime of Jerry John Rawlings between 1994 and 2000. Spio-Garbrah is a member of the board of directors of South Africa Telekom, AngloGold Ashanti
and recently of Vodacom
. He is also member of the International Advisory Board of the African Press Organization
(APO).
, as a sales executive with Southwestern Bell
, and as chairman of the Middle East Africa Group within the international public relations firm of Hill and Knowlton in New York. In that capacity, from 1979 to 1985, he provided investment, export and tourism promotion counsel to the governments of Indonesia, Turkey, the Netherlands and Austria, financial relations advice to the Hong Kong Shanghai Bank, Credit Agricole of France, UBAF-Arab American Bank, and energy sector intelligence to OPEC
.
From 1988 to 1991, Spio-Garbrah was an External Relations Officer at the International Finance Corporation
, the World Bank
affiliate, in Washington. From 1991 to 1994 he was Head of Communication at the African Development Bank
, directing the bank’s global corporate and marketing communications and acting as institutional spokesman.
As Ambassador to the United States from 1994 to 1997, Dr Spio-Garbrah was noted for his success in rebuilding Ghana’s image across the USA, including organising an unprecedented eight-city investment promotion programme for Ghana’s President in the USA. As a result partly of the successful bilateral programmes he executed, Ghana became the first country to be visited by U.S. President Bill Clinton
during his famous five-country Africa visit in 1998 and is now a recipient of the Millennium Challenge Account.
As a Minister of Communication of Ghana, from 1997 to 1998, Dr Spio-Garbrah initiated, developed and implemented policies and programmes that supported the increasing convergence of telecommunications, broadcasting, the Internet, publishing, news media and postal services, all of which were under his supervision. Concurrently, as chairman of the National Communication Authority, he had responsibility for regulating all aspects of the telecom, Internet and broadcasting sectors. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah was also in charge of the Public Education Committee which successfully re-introduced the VAT to Ghana after a disastrous first attempt in the early 1990s had left scores of protesters people dead. The VAT today mobilizes billions of cedis for socio-economic and infrastructure development in Ghana.
Whilst Education minister from 1998 to 2002, Spio-Garbrah was credited with the creation of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), which currently mobilizes over $50 million each year domestically for educational sector infrastructure and student assistance programmes. The GETFund law has been widely praised as one of the most transformative pieces of legislation in Ghana’s history relating to the education sector.
In December 2006 Ekwow Spio-Garbrah contested the leadership of Ghana's main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress
(NDC). Managing 8.7% of the vote, he came second to John Atta Mills, who subsequently won Ghana's 2008 presidential election
. Dr Spio-Garbrah remains a leading member of Ghana's now ruling NDC party. On January 15, 2010, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah was elected a vice chairman of the NDC, and subsequently named Director of the Communications directorate of the party.
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian businessman, diplomat and politician. He is a former CEO of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) based in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He is one of Africa's pre-eminent public servants, and an authority on mass communications who has held several high profile positions in the field. He is a former Minister of Communication of the Republic of Ghana, one-time Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
of Ghana to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Minister of Education, Minister responsible for Mines and Energy and a member of UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
’s Executive Board in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He served in the cabinet during the democratic regime of Jerry John Rawlings between 1994 and 2000. Spio-Garbrah is a member of the board of directors of South Africa Telekom, AngloGold Ashanti
AngloGold Ashanti
AngloGold Ashanti Limited is a global gold mining company. It was formed in 2004 by the merger of AngloGold and the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation.AngloGold Ashanti Limited is now a global gold producer with 21 operations on four continents...
and recently of Vodacom
Vodacom
Vodacom is a pan-African mobile telecommunications company, and was the 1st cellular network in South Africa. It provides GSM service to more than 35 million customers in South Africa, Tanzania, Lesotho, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Revenue for the year ended 31 March 2008...
. He is also member of the International Advisory Board of the African Press Organization
African Press Organization
Based in Dakar , the African Press Organization - APO is the leading press release wire in Africa, and the global leader in media relations related to Africa....
(APO).
Life
Ekow Spio-Garbrah's early business experience included working as a mortgage banker in New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, as a sales executive with Southwestern Bell
Southwestern Bell
Southwestern Bell Telephone Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T. It does business as AT&T Southwest and other d/b/a names in its operating region.The company is currently headquartered in Dallas, Texas at One AT&T Plaza.-History:...
, and as chairman of the Middle East Africa Group within the international public relations firm of Hill and Knowlton in New York. In that capacity, from 1979 to 1985, he provided investment, export and tourism promotion counsel to the governments of Indonesia, Turkey, the Netherlands and Austria, financial relations advice to the Hong Kong Shanghai Bank, Credit Agricole of France, UBAF-Arab American Bank, and energy sector intelligence to OPEC
OPEC
OPEC is an intergovernmental organization of twelve developing countries made up of Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. OPEC has maintained its headquarters in Vienna since 1965, and hosts regular meetings...
.
From 1988 to 1991, Spio-Garbrah was an External Relations Officer at the International Finance Corporation
International Finance Corporation
The International Finance Corporation promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries.IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States....
, the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
affiliate, in Washington. From 1991 to 1994 he was Head of Communication at the African Development Bank
African Development Bank
The African Development Bank Group is a development bank established in 1964 with the intention of promoting economic and social development in Africa...
, directing the bank’s global corporate and marketing communications and acting as institutional spokesman.
As Ambassador to the United States from 1994 to 1997, Dr Spio-Garbrah was noted for his success in rebuilding Ghana’s image across the USA, including organising an unprecedented eight-city investment promotion programme for Ghana’s President in the USA. As a result partly of the successful bilateral programmes he executed, Ghana became the first country to be visited by U.S. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
during his famous five-country Africa visit in 1998 and is now a recipient of the Millennium Challenge Account.
As a Minister of Communication of Ghana, from 1997 to 1998, Dr Spio-Garbrah initiated, developed and implemented policies and programmes that supported the increasing convergence of telecommunications, broadcasting, the Internet, publishing, news media and postal services, all of which were under his supervision. Concurrently, as chairman of the National Communication Authority, he had responsibility for regulating all aspects of the telecom, Internet and broadcasting sectors. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah was also in charge of the Public Education Committee which successfully re-introduced the VAT to Ghana after a disastrous first attempt in the early 1990s had left scores of protesters people dead. The VAT today mobilizes billions of cedis for socio-economic and infrastructure development in Ghana.
Whilst Education minister from 1998 to 2002, Spio-Garbrah was credited with the creation of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), which currently mobilizes over $50 million each year domestically for educational sector infrastructure and student assistance programmes. The GETFund law has been widely praised as one of the most transformative pieces of legislation in Ghana’s history relating to the education sector.
In December 2006 Ekwow Spio-Garbrah contested the leadership of Ghana's main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress
National Democratic Congress (Ghana)
The National Democratic Congress is a social democratic political party in Ghana, founded by Jerry John Rawlings, who was Head of State of Ghana from 1981 to 1993 and the President of Ghana from 1993 to 2001. The NDC was formed ahead of elections in 1992 and 1996 returned Jerry John Rawlings to...
(NDC). Managing 8.7% of the vote, he came second to John Atta Mills, who subsequently won Ghana's 2008 presidential election
Ghanaian presidential election, 2008
A presidential election was held in Ghana on 7 December 2008, at the same time as a parliamentary election. Since no candidate received more than 50% of the votes, a run-off election was held on 28 December, 2008 between the two candidates who received the most votes, Nana Akufo-Addo and John Atta...
. Dr Spio-Garbrah remains a leading member of Ghana's now ruling NDC party. On January 15, 2010, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah was elected a vice chairman of the NDC, and subsequently named Director of the Communications directorate of the party.