BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah
Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah is indisputably one of Ghana’s most distinguished and well respected public officials. Born in 1953, he is a native of Cape Coast in the Central Region of Ghana.
Dr. Spio-Garbrah’s career reflects over 4 decades of experience at senior levels positions in the private sector, international organizations, and government. Dr. Spio-Garbrah served as Minister of Education of the Republic of Ghana, an appointed position which began in 1998 culminating in January 2001. His duties included overseeing the functions of some 180,000 teachers and 30,000 workers. He was responsible for the academic progress of three million students in some 20,000 individual educational institutions. He was also responsible for managing an annual budget of approximately US $250 Million, supported by development agencies from more than twenty countries.
In addition, he served as Chairman of the Ghana National Commission on the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and was a member of the Paris-based Executive Board of UNESCO. He also served as Chairman of the Board of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Service of Ghana from 1998-2000.
During a portion of his tenure as Minister of Education, Spio-Garbrah accepted the additional responsibility of temporary Minister of Mines and Energy. (Oct.-Dec.’99) He held the two positions concurrently during the time of the Ashanti Goldfields Company crisis, overseeing the development programme for the gold, diamond, salt, and other mineral industries.
Prior to his appointment as Minister of Education, this multi-talented man served as Minister of Communications (July ’97-Dec’98). In this position, Dr. Spio-Garbrah was responsible for the development and implementation of innovative government policies and programmes in the rapidly converging fields of telecom, the radio and television broadcasting along with the print and publishing industries. He was also acting chairman of the National Communications Authority, a regulatory body similar to the Federal Communications Commission in the United States.
One of the most prominent positions held by Dr. Spio-Garbrah was that of Ambassador of Ghana to the United States and Mexico. (June ’94-June (97) from the Ghanaian Embassy in Washington, D.C., U.S.A., he conceived and executed a historic eight city investment and business promotional tour of the United States by a 30 person presidential delegation from Ghana in October 1995. Earlier, he had organized a successful official working visit (first in thirty years) for the President of Ghana to the United States in March 1995 which included meetings with several U.S. cabinet officers, U.S. senators, and members of Congress. This momentous occasion culminated with a luncheon meeting at the White House with Ghana’s President, and President of the United States, William J. Clinton.
Prior to Dr. Spio-Garbrah’s prestigious appointments within Ghana’s government, he held the following positions:
- Head of Communications, African Development Bank; Abaidjan, Cote d’Ivoire (Aug.91′- June ’94).
- External Relations Officer, International Finance Corp. /The World Bank Group, Washington, D.C. (June ’88-Aug.’91).
- Senior Loan Officer, City Federal Savings and Loans, New Jersey, U.S.A. (May ’87-June ’88).
- Advertising Sales Executive, Southwestern Bell Publications, New Jersey, New York, & Pennsylvania (Feb. ’85-April ’87).
- Chairman, Middle East/Africa Group, and Account Supervisor, Hill & Knowlton, Inc. New York, Washington, London, Paris, and Geneva (Aug ’79 – Jan ’85).
- Acting General Manager and Accounts Supervisor; Ghana Advertising & Marketing Limited, Accra, Ghana (July ‘75- April ’78).
H. E. Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah and H. E. Paul Kagame of Rwanda
Escorting H. R. H. Queen Elizabeth of England
Receiving wisdom from H. E. Mr. Nelson Mandela of South Africa
Presenting his credentials as Ambassasor of Ghana to President Bill Clinton in the White House
Dr. Spio-Garbrah, as Minister of Education, with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and his wife, Nane
Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah with President Atta Mills, Ghana
Dr. Spio-Garbrah has also worked as a television and radio talk show host with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, and was employed as an English teacher at Adisadel College in Cape Coast, where he taught English language and literature to secondary school students. Dr. Spio-Garbrah’s impressive credentials and noteworthy contributions over the years are not surprising to his many admirers. They credit him with a relentless drive to motivate, teach, and inspire the groups and individuals with whom he works on a daily basis. His highly energetic disposition and positive attitude have helped him to overcome what often appeared to be insurmountable odds. In the process of using his diplomatic skills and negotiating talents for the betterment of society, Dr. Spio-Garbrah has received numerous awards around the world.
Dr. Spio-Garbrah’s formal education includes graduating at the top of his high school class at the prestigious Achimota School in 1970. He graduated with high honors and a B.A. in English from the University of Ghana, Legon in 1973 and in 1975 he completed coursework for M.A. in journalism and communications from the same university.
In 1974 he earned a certificate in International Banking and Finance from New York University, and in 1979 earned an M.A. degree in International Affairs specializing in Business and Public Administration from Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, U.S.A.
Erudite and articulate, Dr. Spio-Garbrah is a member of numerous civic and government organizations. His interests and hobbies include world travel, reading, poetry writing, music, racquet games, volleyball, and speed walking.
Dr. Spio-Garbrah’s professional and occupational background covers a wide variety of genres, politician, diplomat, international civil servant, banker, advertising and sales executive, public relations counselor, journalist, broadcaster, and educator.