Spio-Garbrah: Declare Where You Got All The Monies!

The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has been asked to declare to Ghanaians where they got all the monies for their expensive campaigns. Dr Ekow Spio-Garbrah, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who also served as Minister of Education in the NDC era wants the NPP to reveal their source of funding the opulent campaigns of the party.

According to him the ruling NPP is spending lavishly on campaigns and the source of their funding must be investigated.

Speaking to Citi FM News Wednesday, October 1, 2008, Mr Spio-Garbrah said the opulence shown by the NPP in running its campaign is more than meets the eye. He wondered why journalists who have been trained to analyze and scrutinize government critically on developmental issues, are rather showering praises on the NPP government. “Journalists have been compromised,” he said.

According to him government has silenced most journalists by sponsoring them abroad and conferring on them national awards.He said vibrant and vigorous social clubs and societies such as the Lions Club, Rotary Club, Kiwana Club and the Lodges are in bed with government hence their silence.

He stated that, during the NDC era most of these social clubs scrutinized and criticized activities of the government but most of them are now doing otherwise. He further stated that journalists from the private media houses are discriminated against whereas journalists from the state-owned media houses are always included in the President’s trips abroad.

According to him the media representation in the various trips embarked on by the President is always the same. “Some journalists have traveled with the President more than ten times” he stated. He cited the The Palaver and The Insight newspapers and some private radio stations which have never had representation on any of the President’s trips. Dr Spio Gabrah accused the state owned media houses for denying the NDC availability and accessibility for live television and radio programmes. He said some private media houses are intimidated for airing campaign activities of the opposition NDC. He however said funds for the NDC campaign is generated from its leading members.

However, Dr Arthur Kennedy, Communications Director of the Nana Addo campaign, has described the allegations of opulent campaigns against the NPP as very unfortunate.

According to him all the major political parties are spending luxuriously on their campaigns. He cited instances where the NDC shipped over 200 brand new cars towards its campaign. This he said must also be investigated. He said journalists seemed not to have so many problems with the incumbent government because of the repeal of the criminal libel law which paved way for democracy.

According to him during the NDC regime “most journalists were illegally sponsored and bribed.” He further stated that non-journalists and undeserving Ghanaians were given national awards during Rawlings’ era. “I think there must be a system instituted to state the eligibility for national awards” Dr Kennedy said.