Executive Director of IEA, Jean Mensa
Three of the four political parties with representations in Parliament, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Convention People’s Party (CPP) and the People’s National Convention (PNC), have confirmed their decision to partake in the upcoming presidential debate being organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).
So far, it is only the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) which seems to be contemplating whether or not to participate in the exercise which is organised by the IEA in every election year.
Some of the parties had earlier expressed concern about the IEA’s decision to organise a separate debate for the presidential candidates of the two major political parties—incumbent President Mahama of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and flagbearer of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The NDC is still torn between whether or not to boycott the exercise since it claims it was not consulted by the IEA.
While a Deputy General Secretary, Koku Anyidoho, has said the party will not take part in the process, his colleague George Lawson also claims the party is yet to take a decision on the matter.
Confirmation
But after meeting with organisers of the event, leaders of the NPP, CPP and PNC confirmed their participation after ironing out a few issues about the modalities.
After meeting with the Executive Director of the IEA, Jean Mensa, on Thursday, acting General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu, and the party’s Campaign Manager, Peter Mac Manu, confirmed their participation to DAILY GUIDE, as did Chairman of the CPP, Professor Edmund Delle, who attended the meeting with his Vice Chairperson, Hajia Hamdatu.
On Friday the presidential candidate of the PNC, Dr Edward Nasigri Mahama, also expressed his readiness to partake in the debate.
This was after a delegation from the IEA led by Jean Mensa, Professor Atsu Ayee and Dr Ransford Gyampoh called on him at his office.
. Even though he had concerns about the planned debate for the presidential candidates of the two major parties, he indicated his willingness to partake in the debate.
“It was really to inform them about the programme and pick their brains to enrich the arrangement,” Jean Mensa told DAILY GUIDE after the meeting which was held behind closed doors.
According to her, “They were under the impression that that was the only debate that was going to be held because apparently what they read in the media looked as if that was the only one that was going to be held. We discussed it in detail and made them aware that that wasn’t the only debate that was going to be held.”
Instead, she said, “We will still hold the debates with the four as we’ve always done… We are exploring the possibility of bringing on board a new initiative.”
Doubts
With the confirmation of the three opposition parties, what is now left is for the ruling NDC to state whether or not they will partake in the debate.
Even though Koku Anyidoho has already said the NDC will not honour the invitation, the IEA does not want to rely on his word.
Instead, Executive Director of the policy think tank, Jean Mensa, insists that once they wrote to the NDC, they expect same from them in communicating their decision whether or not they will take part in the debate.
It is not clear if the NDC as a party has met to take any such decision as suggested by Koku who is noted for his gaffes.
But the NDC have up to the end of this month to make that decision known to the organisers of the event.
