Founder and Leader of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom on Tuesday descended heavily on President John Dramani Mahama for snubbing the presidential debate organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).

The first series dubbed Presidential Town Hall was held at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra, Themed ‘Reinforcing the Pillars of Ghana’s Democracy’, the debate saw only Dr Nduom, Dr Edward Nasigre Mahama of the People’s National Convention (PNC) and Independent Presidential Candidate Jacob Osei Yeboah participating.

Before the debate was even planned the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had stated categorically that its candidate will not make an appearance.

Opposition candidates Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ivor Kobina Greenstreet of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP) – all 2016 presidential candidates – were also conspicuously missing.

‘Lazy man’s approach’ But for Dr Nduom, Mahama’s absence is more worrying and an affront to Ghanaians as his party has supervised a collapsing economy for the past eight years.

“I must state my disappointment that the man who has supervised the economy in the last eight years [is not here].” He chastised the president on some of his policies, describing the approach to taxation, for instance, as a “lazy man’s approach”.

He said the massive borrowing for “needless” infrastructure should be a concern to all Ghanaians, calling for a change of the current government.