IEA Announces Presidential Debate

The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has made a significant announcement regarding the upcoming 2024 elections.

In a statement, the IEA insisted on the importance of hosting a presidential debate involving key political parties gearing up to participate in the elections.

The institute emphasized that such debates play a vital role in allowing voters to carefully evaluate both presidential and vice-presidential candidates, thus enabling them to make well-informed decisions on election day.

The IEA’s decision to organize this debate underscores the institution’s commitment to fostering transparency and accountability in the democratic process. By providing a platform for candidates to present their policies, engage in discussions, and address pressing national issues, the debate aims to offer voters a clearer understanding of each candidate’s vision and capabilities.

This comes in the wake of agreement and disagreement from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) respectively regarding the necessity of holding such debates.

Professor Alexander Bilson Darku, a senior fellow at IEA told Citi Fm that his outfit has initiated engagements with the various political parties to organise a debate before December 7.

“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].

“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.”

“We are using the Afrobarometer criteria. It has established a threshold, and we will use that threshold to invite the parties that meet the threshold to participate in the debate.

“This might be four or five parties, and their presidential candidates and vice presidential candidates will be invited to participate in the debate.”

With the 2024 elections quickly approaching, the IEA’s initiative to host this presidential debate serves as a crucial step towards ensuring an informed and engaged electorate. As political parties gear up for the electoral battle ahead, the upcoming debate promises to be a pivotal event in shaping the public discourse and influencing voter perceptions.

By Vincent Kubi