An esteem audience from all sectors of society on Wednesday, November 30, 2016 gathered at the Banquet Hall, State House, to hear from their prospective president of Ghana.

Likewise, five presidential candidates were geared up to prove to the populace on national television why they deserved their vote on December 7, 2016.

The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and National Commission for Civic Education's (NCCE) maiden presidential debate was the platform that provided both presidential candidates and electorate the opportunity to interact in order to make informed decisions.

Independent candidate Jacob Osei Yeboah, Progressive People’s Party (PPP) Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, National Democratic Congress' (NDC) John Mahama, Convention People’s Party (CPP)’s Ivor Kobina Greenstreet and People’s National Convention's (PNC) Edward Mahama were the debators for the night.

Two other presidential candidates, including the leader of the biggest opposition party, New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and National Democratic Party's (NDP) Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings were unavailable for the debate.

Debate Rules
The debate moderators, Mr Dan Afari Yeboah and Selikem Acolatse, all of GBC, read out the rules to the presidential candidates.

The presidential candidates first had two minutes to introduce themselves officially to Ghanaians and why they want to occupy the highest position of the presidency during the almost three hour programme which aired live on Ghana Television (GTV) and GBC Radio.

The debate had four rounds of questioning, each spanning a period of 40 minutes. The presidential candidates were allotted two minutes each to respond to the same question with a chance of rebuttal.

They were, however, not allowed to ask an opponent a question and the audience was not allowed to applaud till at the end of the debate.

Round One
The first round was centered on energy and education. “Is the current educational system preparing students enough for the challenges of facing the country and the job market,” was the question posed by Dan Afari Yeboah.

Mr Yeboah, the independent candidate, started this round by responding, “It does not.”

He said with the current educational system, there was the need for an education commission to investigate the current challenges. He said if voted into office, his government will concentrate more on technical and vocational education, adding, “There will also be the need for the introduction of jury practitioners where experienced hands will go back to the schools to assist.”

Dr Nduom also answered in the negative. He said the system does not prepare the children adequately for the challenges of the 21st century.

For him, the implementation of the free compulsory education in the 1992 Constitution is the solution to the current educational challenge the country is facing.

“Worldwide, there is the compulsory aspect which every serious country implements but we have not. We need to get back to the basics and solve that before we can think about empowering them for jobs,” he said.

President Mahama, in answering the question, indicated that there is an educational system inherited but currently, there are reforms.

Explaining how far the government has come in ensuring the educational system provided the right graduates for job market, President Mahama said his government was investing in technical and vocational education. He said it was time the institutions of higher learning moved their concentration on the humanities to science, engineering and technology – which is what the current job market is looking for.

Mr Greenstreet of the CPP also responded in the negative, “No, our current system does not solve the challenges.”

He mentioned that about 60 percent of the population are illiterates, hence the CPP sees the educational challenge as a complete problem that requires a non-partisan approach.

Round Two
The phenomenon of youth unemployment is one of the key issues the electorate are seeking a solution to, as more youth are unable to secure a job after school.

Thus, Dan Afari Yeboah asked the candidates their concrete plans to solve the high youth unemployment.

The PPP's presidential candidate Dr Nduom started with the phrase, “The home of job creation is the PPP.” He said the PPP is the only party that creates jobs for the youth of this country.

“My running mate is helping women by providing jobs and so is Nylander who is providing jobs for youth. There will be rice revolution and we have built plants already. Cashew will be processed and create jobs for people in technical university. There is tourism which can be developed where millions of jobs can be created,” he added.

President Mahama, in response, said government can do little about job creation because it only employs 600,000 people, indicating that the private sector is the best place for job creation. Acknowledging the role government has to play for the private sector to thrive and employ more people, he said, “It is the private sector that employs but government needs to create the congenial environment.”

Mr Greenstreet quashed the earlier statements, saying the solution to job creation was adding value to the numerous raw materials that were in abundance in the country

“We must add value to our raw materials. Import substitution is important. It is important to grow millet jute sacks and other crops,” he said.

Dr Mahama of the PNC says his government will lead rice growers in Ghana and help reduce rice importation. He said adding value to shea is more important than cocoa, mentioning that more attention will be given to it under his administration.

Mr Yeboah pointed to the fact that the country has a lot of natural resources, saying that the Ghanaian dream which is about industrialisation will be harnessed.

“Even the sun will be used as a resource. Thousands of employment can be created even through mining extension programmes,” he added.

Selikem Acolatse followed the first question with another highly-rated issue of multiplicity of taxes, high interest rate and inflation.  The candidates shared their solutions to the challenge.

Dr Mahama said businesses depend on power to make progress, however, businesses are suffering under the power crisis that plagued the national. He said to solve the issue of high taxes, there was the need to balance the budget and strengthen the cedi. “Find innovative ways of raising revenue, so private companies can have tax free incentives,” he added.

Mr Yeboah said a national identification infrastructure was the solution to the taxes and inflation challenge.

For him, if the country is able to manage its natural resources effectively, it will strengthen the economy of the country as importation will be reduced.

“There has to be a prudent management of the natural resources. Sports will be used as wealth creation. Private sector will be key in managing all these and will be the centre and the engine of growth,” he added.

Dr Nduom proposed three solutions in responding to the question.

“Reforming the public sector, make it lean, declare a state of emergency and spend less money, make the public sector business friendly,” he said.

Explaining how to do that, Dr Nduom indicated that “I will run the administration with not more than 40 ministers. No member of my government can get medical care abroad if I become president except with the person’s private cash. The wastage of government resources is also a problem. We must lower the tax rate and collect more.”

President Mahama assured that his government was bringing down the multiple taxes and reducing inflation.

“Deficit has been brought down. It used to be high up around 12 percent. It has reduced. Growth of the economy will pick up next year,” he promised.

The president, however, blamed the multiple taxes on the failure of citizens to file their tax records.

“There is a huge informal sector which are not being tax. Giving informal sectors are being given incentives to pay their taxes. If you file properly, you will be given tax incentives,” he added.

Mr Greenstreet said imposing taxes is a lazy approach of raising revenue but “we need the money. We must find areas of comparative advantage. Continue with more import substitution methods. Sugar is a good example.”

Round Three
Ms Acolatse continued with the third round which centered on healthcare provision in the country.

The question was, “What tangible step will you take to improve quality and access to healthcare through the NHIS?

The independent candidate had the first bite of the question, agreeing that the NHIS was working, but he said it is human institution which is saddled with corruption, hence the need to minimise the human element.

He said the scheme must be expanded to look at the root causes of the problem which is prevention.

Dr Nduom said the use of the identification system is necessary to improve the use of the NHIS.

“The PPP is more concerned about prevention such as malaria, cholera, meningitis. There will be proper environmental cleanliness and adequate provisions made to learn prevention.  We must reduce that overload on the scheme,” he promised.

The president said his government started the review of the scheme after 10 years of its implementation which has identified issues like funding.

“A new funding source needs to be looked which we are working on. Claims implementation also has to be looked at. With 29 million visitations per annum, this scheme is not a collapsed one but to strengthen it more a percentage of petroleum revenue will be used to fund the NHIS,” he said.

Mr Greenstreet was emphatic that the scheme must be depoliticised and run by experts and health professionals.

“There has to be multi-sectoral, sports, health, sanitation ministries all sitting to find a more comprehensive ways of solving the problem. We are also keen on strengthening traditional medicine and give them training,” he proposed.

Dr Mahama said one of the problems of NHIS is cash flow. “The 2.5 percent should not sit in the consolidated fund but must go straight to the authority,” he said.

The PNC presidential candidate stated that if the PNC government is voted, it would use the petroleum revenue to help fund the NHIS.

Round Four
The last round was reserved for the much talked about topic of corruption. “Is Corruption a problem in Ghana and how do you intend to solve it, was question the debators had to deal with in the last round.

Dr Nduom responded by mentioning that at least two billion cedis annually is lost to corruption, suggesting a review of the Constitution to have an independent prosecutor that will be under any governmental influence to bring people accused of corruption to book.

President Mahama said his government was using the national anti-corruption action plan to fight corruption. “Sadly as a country, we are more interested in anecdotal corruption rather than the efforts being made to fight corruption. We are working to reduce cash in public payment. In 2021, government will not accept cash. There is the need to educate people on what gift giving is and how it can corrupt public officials. There must be political will to prosecute those found to be corrupt,” he said.

Mr Greenstreet disclosed that the national anti-corruption action plan is a consensus plan agreed by all to fight corruption, however, corruption needs to be removed in all facets of society. “It must be uprooted. It can only be done by a government elected into power to solve it,” he said.

Dr Mahama of the PNC said corruption is everywhere and not just the politicians. He was, however, quick to note that abhorrence of corruption at the highest level was very important in fighting corruption. “Corruption is endemic and its everywhere and we must fight it,” he underscored.

Mr Yeboah who was the final presidential candidate to speak said the country was practising an expensive democracy where the issue of corruption starts with the political parties.

He said if elected president, there will be auditors in all ministries who will sign for cash received.

The candidates who are looking forward to capture the seat at the Flagstaff House brought their submissions to an end by pledging their commitment to peaceful elections.

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