The founding President of Policy Think Tank, IMANI Africa has supported the call by flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama for a debate with President Akufo-Addo.
According to Franklin Cudjoe, the think tank in Collaboration with media conglomerate, Multimedia is ready to host a debate between presidential candidates of the two main political parties.
Mr. Cudjoe stated that the debate is significant in establishing whether or not there was value for money in the implementation of the various infrastructural projects by the governments of both political parties and also establishing the sources of funding for the policy initiatives the parties are outlining in their manifestos.
He also suggested for another debate between Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the vice Presidential Candidate of NDC, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang.
“I think it would be useful for the simple reason that beyond the optics of claiming credit for this and that, there is a very important question that we need to answer; the value for money asked questions and the resource envelope; where the money would be becoming from for all these wonderful initiatives the two major parties have undertaken. Certainly, I can pitch that IMANI and Joy FM/Multimedia would be ready to host them. In fact, I think that Bawumia should equally call on Maame Jane for a similar debate,” he stated in an interview on Joy FM.
Responding to NPP’S rejection of the debate, Mr. Cudjoe believes president Akuf-Addo would accept the challenge for a debate stating it is unfair for the party’s communicators to take such a decision for the president. He also served notice that his outfit would request formally of the president for the debate.
“By the way, president Nana Addo has not said anything yet and I don’t think that it is fair to him when his spokespersons are speaking on his behalf and saying they don’t want a debate. The Nana Addo I know doesn’t run away from debate. I’m sure if he is given the opportunity, he would definitely do it. We would ask him officially and I think that debate must be had courtesy Imani/Joy FM,” IMANI’s president said.
Imani Centre for policy and Education on August 13, 2020 organized a debate for six independent presidential candidates. The debate marked the beginning of a series of debate being organized by the think thank in partnership with Joy FM/ Joy News, subsidiaries of media conglomerate, Multimedia for independent candidates and candidates of minor political parties.
The public debate on which government has a superior record in infrastructural development has become topical after vice president Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia addressed a Town Hall meeting detailing the Akufo-Addo government’s achievements in infrastructural development. The vice president described the achievements of the NPP’S government in its first term as unprecedented.
The NDC however disagreed with the vice president’s assertions stating that it has a much better record in infrastructural development. Former president Mahama who is the leader of the party has since thrown a challenge to the leader of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), president Akuf-Addo for a debate on infrastructural projects.
But the NPP has rejected the challenge for a debate thrown to its presidential candidate.
