According to the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), a debate including some of the political parties planning to run for office in 2024 must take place before the elections.
The IEA emphasises that such discussions are critical for voters to evaluate both presidential and vice-presidential candidates and make educated decisions.
This stance by the IEA comes amid an apparent dispute between the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) about the necessity of hosting debates.
In an interview with Citi News, Professor Alexander Bilson Darku, a senior fellow at the IEA, said that discussions with several political parties had begun to schedule 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.”
Professor Alexander Bilson Darku further mentioned that the participating parties and their candidates will be streamlined.
“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.”
