Dr Spio-Garbrah awarded International Telecommunications Union Gold Medal

Outgoing Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization (CTO), Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, has been awarded the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Gold Medal.

This is in recognition of Dr. Spio-Garbrah’s sterling contributions towards the work of the ITU, the UN agency responsible for information and communications technologies.

“The prestigious medal was presented by Dr. Hamadoun Touré, Secretary General of the ITU, at a ceremony meeting of the senior management of the ITU in Geneva, Switzerland, September 2, 2011,” said the CTO in a statement September 7, 2011.

According to the statement, Dr. Hamadoun Touré commended Dr Spio-Garbrah for the outstanding contribution he has made to the global ICT community during his eight-year term as CEO of the CTO.

“He noted that under Dr. Spio-Garbrah’s leadership, the CTO has reinforced itself as a serious and respectable partner of the ITU in several projects and events. The CTO has also embarked on a number of initiatives that have gained the organization significant recognition amongst its own member countries, all of whom also belong to the ITU,” it adds.

Dr. Spio-Garbrah dedicated the award to the CTO’s entire membership, its Council Members, the management team and staff.

He called on the senior management of the ITU to continue to work closely with the CTO in the years to come, to enable both organizations to accomplish their shared common aims and objectives.

As CEO of CTO, Dr. Spio-Garbrah helped organised the first two joint CTO-ITU events, acquired a permanent headquarters building for the CTO and diversified its services to its member governments and entities.

He also helped in mobilizing capital for the Commonwealth Telecom Development Fund and launched a new broadband roaming service through the CTO’s commercial subsidiary, CTO Ventures.

Dr. Spio-Garbrah leaves office by the end of this year, 2011.

By Ekow Quandzie