As part of events leading to the December elections, the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) is urging leaders of various political parties to engage in a debate to allow voters to assess the presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
The IEA has a history of hosting such high level engagements, including the famous October 2012 encounter between then-President John Mahama and President Akufo-Addo ahead of the 2012 elections.
Speaking to Citi News on July 15, 2024, a senior fellow at the IEA, Professor Alexander Bilson Darku, said the institute has started engaging with political parties to arrange a debate before the December 7, election.
“Let me make this very clear from the beginning. The need for debate is the right of the people. The people of Ghana ought to know what their presidential candidate, and for that matter, the party they represent, have in stock for them and so we are at a very early stage now talking to them [the political parties],” Darko said.
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According to him, a scheduled time for the presidential debate will be made public soon.
“We have our timetable and very soon it will be known to the public as to the programme that the IEA has outlined to make this all-important presidential debate come on. I don’t think we should go into the specifics, but I am telling you we will have it at a very good time that would be beneficial to the parties involved and the timing that would be beneficial for the nation,” he added.
However, The Accra Times has learnt that the NDC is not ready for a debate, despite being called out by the NPP flagbearer, Dr. Mahamud Bawumia, on several occasions during his campaign tours.
The Spokesperson for the NDC’ flagbeaer (John Mahama), Joyce Bawa Mogtari, tweeted on July 13, 2024, that a debate is pointless since the economy has collapsed.
“My Dear Brothers and Sisters, what really is there to debate about, there is absolutely nothing left to debate. The economy has crashed and country broke,” Mogtari said.
The Accra Times will keep a close eye on this development, as while the NPP has expressed interest in a debate, the NDC has yet to show any signs of interest.
