Conducting Debate For Just Mahama & Nana Addo "Prejudicial" To Ghana�s Electoral Process

Kwesi Pratt has slammed the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), claiming the Institute has not shown respect to political parties in the country.

The IEA, on Tuesday, announced and launched her 2016 Pre-Election Debate series.

As part of the debate series, the IEA indicated that there will debate for Presidential candidates for parties that have representation in Parliament as well as their Vice Presidential candidates.

The Institute further noted that there will also be an Evening Encounter aimed at giving opportunity to the Ghanaian electorates to interact with the Presidential candidates prior to the 2016 elections.

This is to help the electorates to be well-informed on the best suitable candidate to elect as Head of the Republic of Ghana.

The Institute further noted that discussions are ongoing to ensure a separate debate for the Presidential candidates of the two major parties, National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

But to Kwesi Pratt, the decision by the IEA to pitch just the two candidates President John Dramani Mahama and Nana Addo together is "prejudicial".

According to him, it is distasteful to the Ghana's electoral process to sideline the other parties and engage just two parties that the Institute thinks is superior to the other political parties.

He told host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's 'kokrokoo' that he doesn't subscribe to the fact "some party will be selected as the giants and those likely to win which is prejudicial to the whole electoral process.

"...do you expect us to go and participate in the debate?” he chided the IEA.

Mr. Pratt further said that the failure of the IEA to consult with the political parties before announcing its debate series this year is an absolutely "disrespect" to the parties, which to him, needs to be addressed.

He explained that the IEA should have first met with the political parties before finalizing on the debate series this year.

He also raised contention with the arrangements and timing for the debate, claiming that the period in September where the IEA has fixed its debate for the Presidential candidates

"Who, in this world, does not know that all Heads of State - the third week of September - they are invited to New York? Who doesn't know that that period in September is a period for convergence of Heads of State in New York because of United Nations General Assembly...if we know that around the second, third and fourth week of September is  busy period for Heads of State all over because of UN, why would you fix the debate there?" he questioned.