Most Rev. Dr. Paul Kwabena Boafo (L) with other members of the Presidential Debates Committee
The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) will from Wednesday, September 18, 2024 hold its presidential debates ahead of the December 7 elections.
Chairman for the 2024 Presidential Debate Committee and past Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church, Ghana, Most Rev. Dr. Paul Kwabena Boafo, who announced this in Accra, said the debates aimed at advancing multi-party democracy as well as promoting issues-based elections campaign in Ghana.
He said the five-day evening encounter and presidential debate series will first host the presidential candidate of the New Force Movement (NFM), Nana Kwame Bediako, popularly known as ‘Cheddar’ on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, the other candidates are scheduled for Tuesday, September 24, 2024, October 1, 8 and 15, 2024 at the IEA auditorium.
He said presidential debates series will also comprise of evening encounters to provide a platform for the candidates to present their visions, plans and strategies to the electorates.
Rev. Dr. Boafo said the criteria for the selection of candidates include submission of official documentation to the Electoral Commission (EC) to participate in the upcoming general election, also, the presidential candidates should have launched their manifestos and a reasonable assessment of the candidates’ performance in selected election polls.
According to the Committee, the evening encounters will be streamed live on social media, with TV coverage to reach about 30 million people in the country. Invited guests would include members from civil society organisations, associations, private sector institutions, public sector institutions, political parties, the diplomatic community, faith-based organisations among several others.
The Committee, however, stressed that though there was news making rounds that former President and flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama as well as the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia were not prepared to participate in the debates, it has engaged them and will update the public on their participation in subsequent meetings with the press.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah