GOG REQUEST FOR USG SUPPORT FOT GHANAIAN CANDITATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 000590 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/09/2016 TAGS: PREL ECON EINV ECPS GH SUBJECT: GOG REQUEST FOR USG SUPPORT FOT GHANAIAN CANDITATE FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNION REF: ACCRA 1389 Classified By: Ambassador Pamela E. Bridgewater for Reasons 1.5 (b & d) ¶1. (U) Summary: Post has received a dipnote from the MFA asking for USG support of Ghana's candidate for Deputy Secretary General of the International Telecommunications SIPDIS Union (ITU). The full text of the note is included in para ¶2. Post reccomends against/against supporting this request (see para 3). End Summary. ¶2. (U) Begin text of MFA dipnote dated February 28, 2006: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the republic of Ghana presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America and has the honor to inform the latter that the Government of the Republic of Ghana has decided to present the candidature of Major (rtd) John Ray Kwabena Tandoh for election to the post of Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU),at the elections to be held during the Plenipotentiary Conference of the organization in Antalya, Turkey, in November 2006. Ghana attaches great importance to the International Telecommunication Union and the challenges of applying information and Communications for socio-economic development in the light of the wide divide that exists between developing and developed worlds, between the urban and rural sectors of society, and between the "haves" and "have-nots." Ghana has consistently worked to strengthen the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and with many other Member Countries, have supported a central role for the Union in the implementation of the Plan of Action of the World Summit on the information Society (WSIS). Major (Rtd) J.R. K. Tandoh has a wide experience in the area of telecommunications and in Internal organizations. He is the Head of the National Communications authority and form 1999 to 2001 was a Member of the ITU Radio Regulations Board (RRB),Geneva. The Government of the Republic of Ghana would very much appreciate the invaluable support the Government of The United States of America for the candidature of Major (rtd) J.R. K. Tandoh for election to the post of Deputy Secretary-General of the international Telecommunication SIPDIS Union (ITU). This Curriculum Vitae is attached. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Ghana avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy to the United States of America the assurances of its highest consideration. End Text. ¶3. (C) Comment: As Chairman of Ghana's National Communications Authority (NCA) he repeatedly blocked and delayed the resolution of Western Wireless International's dispute with the GoG (reftel). Working-level contacts within the NCA confirmed this in conversations with EconOff after the dispute was resolved. During his tenure, Tandoh has successfully used the NCA to block, rather than resolve complaints brought against the parastatel Ghana Telecom by competitors in the IT, fixed-line, and mobile telephone sectors. He is also widely rumored to among the most corrupt GoG officials. End Comment. BRIDGEWATER