|
| Journey To 2008 General Election - NDC Decides Today |
12/21/2006 |
|
A Political fight for survival involving four heavyweights, reaches its climax today and by the time the sun rises tomorrow, it would have been settled for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to know who will lead the party in the 2008 presidential election.
By now, delegates from all the constituencies have gathered at the University of Ghana, Legon, going through the process of electing the party’s flag bearer.
They are also to take other decisions crucial to the fate of the party in the next few years. Ready to do battle are the four personalities who have proclaimed their determination to lift high the flag of the NDC when the presidential election is conducted in December 2008.
Professor John Evans Atta Mills, the professor of tax law who was once the Vice-President of the Republic and who attempted twice in 2000 and 2004 to earn the ticket to the Castle without success, leads the pack as favourite for another chance.
Prof Mills’s campaign theme has dwelt on his maturity, experience, academic and intellectual credentials and what many people consider his trump card — humility and affability.
In fact, many still consider Prof Mills as a person who will be tied firmly to the apron strings of his mentor, Flt Lt J.J. Rawlings, who enlisted him from his previous role as Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service to become his running mate and subsequently vice president of Ghana in January 1997.
Prof Mills’ other asset is that he has been marketed by the party enough, having occupied the high office of Vice President and having campaigned vigorously for the presidency three times — twice in 2000 and once in 2004.
He, therefore, had very little to say at the family forum of the party last week. “Here I am, the same good old Mills, who will this time not fail you,” was how he summed it all up.
As to which of Prof Mills’ many parts — the humble, experienced and affable, or the so-called weak and the supposedly Rawlings’ hanger-on — will be the main focus of delegates, is left to be judged.
He was born on July 21, 1944 at Ekumfi in the Central Region. He attended Achimota School from 1957-1963 where he obtained the Ordinary and Advanced level certificates.
He studied at the University of Ghana, Legon, from 1963-66 where he obtained the Bachelor of Law and Professional Certificate in Law in 1967.
He also studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science where he obtained his LL M in 1968, School of Oriental African Studies, University of London (PhD) in 1971 and the Stanford Law School, California (Fulbright Scholar) in 1971.
Prof. Mills'' employment record shows that between 1971 and 1980, he was a Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Ghana, Legon, where he rose through the ranks to become Associate Professor of Law in 1992.
He has also served as a visiting professor of Temple Law School, Philadelphia, from 1978 to 1979 and 1986 to 1987 and Leiden University, Holland from 1985 to 1986.
From 1986 to 1993, Prof. Mills was the Acting Commissioner, Internal Revenue Service and the substantive Commissioner from 1993-1996 when he was selected as the running mate to President Jerry John Rawlings for the 1996 elections.
Prof. Mills has more than a dozen publications to his credit. His fiercest challenger this time is Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, who entered the race on a very high and abrasive note, touting his youthfulness, energy, health and goal-getting track record as the winning bonus for the party.
He promised a strong leadership which he claimed will transform the fortunes of Ghana with the development of agriculture and youth employment as two of his major cornerstones.
Whether delegates have been convinced and actually desire a change from the old order or not, will be decided by the end of today.
Dr Spio-Garbrah is a graduate of the University of Ghana. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Communications and an MA in Journalism and Communication all from the University of Ghana.
After acquiring an MA in International Affairs at Ohio University, Athens, USA, he went further to secure a Graduate Certificate in International Banking and Finance in New York University.
Currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Authority, in London, Dr Spio-Garbrah started his career as a TV talk show host and radio current affairs analyst at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation from 1976 to 1978 and from 1975 to 1985 he was the acting General Manager and Accounts Supervisor at the Ghana Advertising and Marketing Limited in Accra.
From 1979 to 1985, he worked as Head of Communications at the Africa Development Bank (ADB). Later he was appointed Ghana’s Ambassador to the US, Chairman of VAT Public Education Committee, Minister responsible for Mines and Energy from 1997 to 1998 and the Minister of Education from 1998 to 2000.
Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu, another candidate, sold mostly his age and experience, which he thinks the country seriously needs at this time in its development efforts.
Alhaji Iddrisu was a Member of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), which gave birth to the NDC, and for a considerable time, the PNDC Member responsible for National Defence.
It can, therefore, be said that he has gained enough experience at least as far as governance is concerned. Alhaji Iddrisu is the most experienced among the lot.
Born in Wa in 1936, he attended Tamale Secondary School from 1951 to 1955 and started his career in banking with Stanchart Bank in 1961 and rose to become the area manager for Ghana Commercial Bank in Wa, Bawku, Yendi, Bole, Bechem and some towns in the Volta Region.
Upon reaching the top level management position, he left GCB and entered politics in 1978 as a Commissioner for Local Government.
In 1979, he was the Vice Presidential candidate for the United National Convention, 1981, Deputy Leader of the All People’s Party (APP) and in 1982 to 1985 he joined the PNDC and served as the Secretary of Transport and Communications.
From 1985 to 1992 he was the PNDC member responsible for Defence. When the country entered the Fourth Republic he was made the Minister of Defence till 1999 when he was made the Presidential Advisor on Governmental Affairs.
Since 2001 he had been Member of Council of Elders of the NDC. The last candidate Mr Eddie Annan, a business mogul, did not fail to tell his supporters of his business acumen which he promises to replicate on the national scene.
He is seen as the dark horse in the race because of his scanty exposure to politics, having spent most of his time making money.
Mr Annan was born in February 1945 and attended the Mfantsipim School and later obtained his Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering in Germany.
He later returned to Ghana to begin a successful international business. He was the sole dealer in IBM in Ghana and founded the EA Group of Companies in 1977.
His EA Group had a wide range of product and service lines and operated from a broad geographical network of offices across Europe and Africa, with additional support offices in the UK, Germany, Channel Islands, the USA and Canada.
All things considered, this year’s congress is a historic one for the NDC, in the sense that for once, more than two persons had shown interest in leading the party and the campaign had been less acrimonious than previous ones.
It is expected that the supporters of the various candidates and the delegates will continue to be sober and level headed throughout the congress and after, so that the party will enter the New Year with a new leadership and renewed vision and mission to recapture political power in 2008.
Story by Kofi Akordor & Donald Ato Dapatem
Source:
Graphic
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
