Democracy thrives when there is adequate knowledge and information about the processes.
When we talk about the need to be well informed and discerning, we anticipate that the electorate would be armed about the issues and the persons presenting themselves to be voted for.
The journey that we embarked upon in 1992 is simply the process to allow the people to make informed decisions at the polls. That is where the media people play a significant role to inform and educate the voters about the parliamentary candidates and presidential candidates; who they are, what they stand for, and what they can do to improve the living standards of the people.
We acknowledge that any process which arms the electorate with the requisite information about the candidates and the political parties, greatly promote the democratic culture and safeguard the inclusiveness of our politics.
It is for this reason that we laud the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) for initiating the 2024 presidential debate to promote good governance and participatory democracy in Ghana.
These debates highlight the persona of the presidential candidates and their ideologies, and the reason for which the people of Ghana should cast the ballot for them to hand over the mantle of leadership to them for the next four years.
What are the outcomes of the upcoming presidential debates? It would give the electorate the options on the various platforms so that the voters can make informed decisions and choices on December 7, 2024. Joining long queues on Election Day in a hot sun is not meant to be a token of participation, but a major aspect of the exercise of our democratic franchise to choose the persons who can help all of us to reap the democratic dividend.
These presidential debates, especially the televised ones, have helped to shape the course of presidential elections and governance for decades, especially in the United States of America (USA). We reiterate that it provides voters with the platform to evaluate the candidates. There have been moments that these debates have boosted the fortunes of one candidate and doomed or drowned the chances of another like in the case of Donald Trump and Joe Biden not too long ago.
Unfortunately, these efforts by the IEA have not received total acceptance as there were instances in the past that some candidates refused to participate. In 2016, for instance, the candidates of the two major political parties, NPP and NDC, declined to participate in the debate.
Out of the seven presidential candidates on the ballot in 2016, four took part in the IEA debate. This year’s elections are crucial for the future of our democracy and national development. In the race for the Jubilee House this year are a former President defeated twice at the polls but is determined to regain power because he has the experience and knowhow to fix the economy, and a sitting Vice President who asserts that he is the best candidate for the job having spearheaded over 30 policies over the last seven years or so.
The NDC people always articulate the achievements of the John Mahama presidency despite overseeing more than four years of dumsor and the struggle to explain his main policy thrust for Election 2024, the 24-hour economy, and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia who made many promises in 2016, but some still remain unfulfilled including, “if the fundamentals are weak, the exchange rate will expose you.”
In spite of the challenges, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia continues to showcase policies like digitalisation of the economy as a positive move to reduce the drudgery of living in the country.
The sitting Vice President has fired the first salvo to challenge John Mahama to a debate. We hope John Mahama would accept the call for a debate, especially now that the IEA is ready to provide the platform.
The handlers of John Mahama should not run away from the debate but grab the opportunity to explain his 24-hour economy that he acknowledges Ghanaians say they do not understand.
We also urge the IEA to do well to avoid jokes on the debate platform, like what has come to be known as “Ayari cough”. The presidential debate is not a platform for any clownish behaviour but a very critical space to help Ghanaians make informed decisions at the polls.
Ghanaians are tired of rhetoric as they struggle everyday to work for a living. We want the substance but not the form in our search to elect leaders who do not only understand our plight, but be servant leaders who are prepared to share the burdens of poverty with all.