A financial analyst, Prince Obiri Yeboah, has urged the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, to take up the challenge and debate the flagbearer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

According to the sitting Vice President, he is ready to debate ex-President John Mahama on the economy and governance of the country, as he believes the NPP government has superior records.

Speaking at a youth connect program in Bunkpurugu in the North East Region, Dr. Bawumia taunted Mahama, saying the latter is running from a debate because he knows that the emptiness of his policies will be exposed.

“I am looking forward to a debate with John Mahama on the economy, and governance. I fear that he is avoiding the debate. His people say he doesn’t want to debate. He doesn’t want to debate because he knows I will expose the emptiness of his policies.

“He says he has a 24-hour economy that he cannot explain; it is as empty as an empty barrel. He cannot explain it, none of his people can. They say we will be exporting lions and elephants, but when we meet mano a mano, we can debate, and the country will see where our policies lie. That is where we should go; we should give the country an opportunity to listen to us. But if he chooses not to debate, I will sell my policies to the people of Ghana, and you will take the decision.”

But commenting on the issue in an interview on Ghana Kasa on Kasapa 102.5FM Friday, Financial Analyst Prince Obiri Yeboah said Mr. Mahama should avail himself of the debate because the data and figures on the economy indicate that the NPP government has failed.

“I urge former President Mahama to accept the challenge and debate the vice president. If Ghanaians base their votes on the December 7 election on economic management, then the NPP should lose this election. The economic data shows that the NPP government has failed. There is a lot of hardship in the system. The reason why Ghanaians are not crying out too much nowadays about the hardship is that they have tuned up their minds, not because there has been a significant improvement in their lives. The data and figures show that things are not right with the economy.

“NPP is good at terminologies, everything they do, they have a unique way of couching it and making it appealing to the citizenry, but the overall impact of those catchy terminologies on the living conditions of Ghanaians is negligible. Politicians should be consistent with their principles or standards.

"... Things started going wrong in Ghana two years ago, but the vice president decided not to address concerns raised by Ghanaians about the economy. Today, what has changed and is pushing the Vice President to call for a debate with Mahama?” Prince Obiri Yeboah asked.