Parties must come on board IEA debate

Ghana is carving a niche for itself as it makes debating by political leaders an important aspect of the electoral process.

Since 2000, the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has organised debates restricted to the presidential candidates and running mates of political parties with representation in Parliament. 

As part of its continued commitment to deepen and consolidate multi-party democracy and promote issues-based elections in the country, the institute on Tuesday launched the 2016 Pre-Election Debate series.

Unfortunately, its novelty decision to organise a special presidential debate for the flag bearers of the two main political parties: President John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has infuriated some parties with no representation in Parliament, making all of them threatening a boycott of the debates.

While the NDC has decried the non-involvement of the poli