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Debates by presidential aspirants who intend to be voted into power is normal during an election year. This happens in any democratic country.
The sitting President takes the opportunity to tell the electorate what has been done during the past term and the vision for the next term. Those wishing to be president take the opportunity to tell the electorate, what in their opinion, is not working well in the country and what they intend to do to improve it.
The electorate are then given the opportunity to ask the aspirants questions to clear any doubts in their minds, hence become informed to elect their President.
What do we have here in Ghana? In 2016, Akufo-Addo as an aspirant refused to debate the then President John Mahama. I personally did not understand why? Akufo-Addo then was full of hope and seemed to have the panacea to the problems of the country.
Why then would he not want to debate the sitting President? Now we know why. He was full of lies with no substance. I remember Akufo-Addo on an international platform was asked how he would fund the “Free SHS” and he was just fumbling with English.
Why would he debate the sitting President, John Mahama when the agenda was to just create wealth for his family and friends. How could he have told us what he was about to do? Give Ghanaians Free SHS, which was even started by John Mahama and loot our resources as his benefit.
He knew then that John Mahama will set the records straight on who actually started the Free SHS. President John Mahama in his 2014 State of the Nation address announced that his administration was going to introduce a Progressive Free SHS programme, and what did Akufo-Addo do? He stole the idea and made it wholesale. Now the results are showing.
Fast forward to the end of the road, 2020. Aspirant Akufo-Addo has become the President and President John Mahama has become the aspirant. Another opportunity for the now President Akufo-Addo to debate the “supposedly incompetent” John Mahama and still he has refused.
Come and show your competence too has become an issue. Of course, what has he to say. Your approach of Free SHS as against Mahama’s progressive approach has failed. Your government is bathing in corruption.
The public purse has been looted; the exchange rate has exposed the weak fundamentals; security is weak, with Ghanaians living in fear and panic; there is no freedom of speech and comparatively Ghanaians are worse off than under John Mahama. I bet you have regretted fighting to repeal the criminal libel law.
President Akufo-Addo, instead of debating John Mahama on the cognitive level you strategically decided on appealing to Ghanaians on the emotional level that we should try you in 2016.
I, on that basis, voted for you and now we have tried you, what next in 2021? This time around if you cannot debate aspirant John Mahama for us to make up our minds to be informed to vote, then bow out. You tell us; 4MORE TO DO WHAT?
By Afua Coleman
Email Daily Mail GH: stories@dailymailgh.com or
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