Ghana needs independent commission for presidential debates, say experts

Experts have called for the establishment of an independent debate commission to facilitate presidential debates in Ghana, similar to how it’s done in countries like the United States of America.

The presidential candidate of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mahamudu Bawumia has said his main opponent John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), is running away from debating him for fear of being exposed.

Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Friday (12 July), Agyeman-Duah said presidential debates should be made part of the political conventions in the country.

“… I think my friend made mention of the American system where they have the commission for presidential debates, could that thing work here, possibly.”

“But I think I agree with my good friend Prof John Osae-Kwapong, that, it is something that we need to develop, we should make it part of our political conventions,” Agyeman-Duah said.

Listen to Prof Baffour Agyeman-Duah in the attached audio clip below:

Speaking on the same programme, Prof John Osae-Kwapong, political analyst and research fellow at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD)-Ghana said the establishment of a commission for presidential debates could help bolster the confidence of the candidates in participating in debates.

“Here in the US the commission on presidential debate always engages the two sides, and they come out with the rules, for example, the time, inputs and rebuttal etc.”

“All of those things, I think make the parties feel comfortable when they make input into the process, not the questions,” he said.

Listen to Prof John Osae-Kwapong in the attached audio clip below:

Reporting by Fred Dzakpata in Accra

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