John Mahama and Nana Akufo-Addo
Excitement has enveloped the Northern Regional capital, Tamale, ahead of tonight’s presidential debate organised by the Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA) for political parties with representation in parliament.
All eyes will be on the two leading contenders, President John Mahama, flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, flagbearer of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Nana Addo arrived in Tamale by road on Saturday afternoon while President Mahama arrived by air yesterday.
Other participants are Dr. Michael Abu Sakara Foster, flagbearer of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and Hassan Ayariga, flagbearer of the People’s National Convention (PNC).
They will tonight slug it out at the three-hour event scheduled for the Radach Hotel.
The main debate will be between Nana Addo and John Mahama over free SHS now or later as espoused by the NPP and the NDC respectively.
While the NPP presidential candidate said he wanted to extend secondary education to every Ghanaian child through free education, the NDC said such a move should be gradual.
Another hot issue will be on job creation for the teeming unemployed youth.
GH¢10m JECs Fund
Ahead of today’s debate, President Mahama has floated a GH¢10 million fund to support job creation, named Jobs and Enterprises Centres (JECs). It will be launched next week.
The GH¢51.2million Woyome payout is more than what has been earmarked to address the countrywide youth unemployment situation.
Security has been stepped up in the regional capital, with uniformed armed men virtually on every corner of the street of Tamale.
DAILY GUIDE has gathered that a number of plain-clothed men have also been deployed on the ground in order not to leave anything to chance in view of the significance of the event.
As at midday yesterday, organizers were busily putting finishing touches to the stage fittings and other decorations.
Papa Kow Acquaye, a worker at the IEA and a member of the organizing team, told DAILY GUIDE all was set for the event.
He indicated that the event was strictly by invitation and non-accredited individuals would not be allowed into the main auditorium.
Tonight’s debate, according to the IEA, would take the form of a policy dialogue engagement at which the presidential candidates would be provided the platform to present their viewpoints, plans and programmes and also point out the weaknesses in the policies of their co-contestants and give alternatives to those policies and programmes.
The debate, is believed, would enable the electorate, particularly the floating voters, to make an informed choice in deciding on which of the candidates and parties has the best policies and programmes.
The IEA has explained that following a balloting conducted by the four participating parties, the seating arrangements for the candidates would be President Mahama first, followed by Dr. Sakara, Mr Ayariga and Nana Akufo-Addo.
Tonight’s debate would be based on the economy, social sector, foreign policy and finally private sector and industrialisation.
Under economy, the debate would touch on national development plan, job creation and employment, economic growth and national debt.
While the debate on social sector would touch on education, health, water and sanitation, food security, housing and electricity and power
A Radio Ghana report quoted the Executive Director of the IEA, Jean Mensah, as having said that over 400 questions had so far been received by the organisers.
Samuel Abu Jinapor, aide to the NPP flagbearer, said Nana Addo was fired up and ever ready to outline his policies and programmes to Ghanaians.
According to Mr. Jinapor, the encounter was the right platform for Nana Addo to propagate his message of hope to the electorate and further expose the poor performance of the current government.
He explained that the NPP flagbearer would not back down on his vision of establishing a Northern Development Fund (NDF) with seed money of $1billion.
John Jinapor, Spokesperson of President Mahama, disclosed in a telephone interview that his boss was adequately prepared for tonight’s showdown.
According to him, the President, in view of his vast knowledge of happenings in all sectors of the economy, would answer questions in sincerity and honesty.
“He will try and do his best because he knows every corner of the country and what goes on.”
President John Dramani Mahama will be the first incumbent president to take part in a presidential debate since it began over a decade ago.
His spokesperson described this as an indication of maturity in the country’s democracy.
Meanwhile, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom’s Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has issued a news statement, grumbling that the party had been left out of tonight’s debate because it has no representation in parliament.
In 2008, Dr Nduom was part of the show when he contested under the CPP banner.
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