General News of Saturday, 7 November 2020

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Debate invitation still open - Mahama teases Akufo-Addo

John Dramani Mahama (L) and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo John Dramani Mahama (L) and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

Flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has said he is still willing to debate President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on key national issues.

John Mahama, a former President, challenged his successor to a public debate on their governments' record on infrastructural development ahead of the upcoming polls on December 7, but Nana Akufo-Addo has turned the invitation down.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP), the President’s party, said the debate was unnecessary because infrastructural achievements by the Nana Akufo-Addo administration were already evident.

But a report Joy News indicates that while addressing party supporters at Atimpoku in the Eastern Region on Friday, November 6, 2020, John Mahama said it is still not too late for the President to honour his invitation.

John Mahama is convinced that the presidential debate will help settle the controversy about the track record of both parties in terms of infrastructural projects.

“When we were in government, I travelled to India to meet the Prime Minister to get him to help us construct the railway line from Tema to Akosombo to ease the congestion on our roads, and the agreement was signed and funding secured. But the project did not start until we left office.

“And that is why the debate between myself and president Akufo-Addo is important to settle all these issues but they said they won’t come; it is still not too late for him to accept to debate me”, the Joy News report quoted the former President.