The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced its readiness to participate in the upcoming presidential and parliamentary debates organized by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), as stated by the party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong.

On Thursday, August 22, the IEA inaugurated a 9-member Presidential Debate Committee tasked with coordinating engagements with political parties ahead of the 2024 general elections.

Justice Sophia Akuffo, the committee’s chairperson, emphasized their commitment to fostering a debate process that encourages participation and focuses on issue-based, people-centred discussions.

In an interview on Eyewitness News, Justin Kodua underscored the importance of these debates in providing a platform for political parties to present their visions and policies to the electorate.

He noted that while the NPP had opted out of similar debates in 2014 and 2016, the party is now eager to highlight its achievements and give voters a clear comparison of what each party offers.

“The reason why we are interested in this debate is for us to be able to espouse what our flagbearer has been going around the country and talking about in terms of his vision for the country in the next four years. So, if for instance in 2014 and 2016, there were reasons why the party didn’t attend but this time around the party is ready for any debate because we feel that as a nation we have made progress and also the election between the NPP and the other political parties, Ghanaians need to know what each political parties offer the best and credible manifesto,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed reluctance to participate, citing dissatisfaction with the IEA’s approach.

The Mahama 2024 campaign team criticized the IEA for not consulting the NDC before announcing the debates, calling the move unacceptable.

Despite this, the IEA remains committed to continuing the debate process, even if the NDC opts out. Dr. Humphrey Ayim-Darke, a member of the Presidential Debate Committee, underscored the IEA’s history of successfully organizing debates, regardless of non-participation by some parties.

He emphasized the importance of engaging with the electorate and reaffirmed the IEA’s openness to further dialogue with all political parties.