Ladies and Gentlemen , fellow Ghanaians our democracy continues to grow with every election, moving forward to be at par with more established democracies. Political debate among aspiring candidates for Leadership of a country has become an important element of the process in most democracies in the world today. Important because it provides a basis for the general public to assess the candidates, their character, the policies of their respective party, their ability to deal with issues and their grasp and analysis of the problems faced by the people of the country.

Ghana has recently being through an energy crisis during which many industries were forced to close, many lost their jobs, many died, and the country’s economic wellbeing and general development was set back.

It was thus a laudable effort by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science Technology (KNUST) to seek the thoughts and ideas of the political parties and their Presidential Candidates on this very important sector.

KNUST had organised a seminar for April 10th and 11th 2008 under the topic “ENERGY - MY VISION”. Mr Abeeku Hammond organiser of the programme had this to say “the people of Ghana are resolved to make energy crisis a thing of the past; the big question is, “how?” He said the proposed special seminar series seeks to take advantage of 2008 being an election year in Ghana, for the future political leadership to lay out their visions for a crisis-free energy sector in the march towards middle-income status.

He said further that the main objective of the special seminar series is to contribute towards the definition of policy frameworks for achieving a crisis-free energy sector in Ghana, provide a platform for each of the presidential flagbearers of the main political parties to present their ideas for energy sector development, create a forum for lecturers, students and the general public to gain an insight into the plans of presidential candidates to establish favourable energy policy frameworks, and document the views of presidential flagbearers on energy for easy reference in Ghana, elsewhere in Africa, and the world at large.

Two invited candidates, Nana Akuffo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Prof Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), have however pulled out at the last minute, despite earlier confirmation of their participation.

Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, flagbearer of the Convention People’s Party and Dr. Edward Mahama, of the PNC, have confirmed their participation and are to put forward bold ideas and initiatives for the sector.

Dr. Nduom had earlier also called for a national debate amongst the Presidential Candidates to afford Ghanaians the opportunity to assess why and who they should vote for as their President in December 2008.

The cancellation by the NPP and NDC of their participation in the Energy Debate and their silence in accepting the challenge of the CPP for a national debate has lead many to conclude that the NPP and NDC are running away from the CPP and the CPP’s Presidential candidate. Many are now asking the NPP and the NDC a number of simple but searching questions on this issue:

• Why do you not support the forward match of Ghana’s democracy by accepting what is now an accepted norm of democracy?

• Is Energy not an important issue for the NPP and NDC?

• Are you afraid of the CPP and its candidate?

• When will you allow yourselves to be tested against the CPP and its Candidate?

• What are you afraid of?

• Do you not owe Ghanaians the opportunity to assess for themselves your suitability to be President of Ghana?

Fellow Ghanaians many more questions arise, too numerous to note here, but each of you must make up your own mind on why it is that the NPP and NDC are running away at debating the CPP and its Candidate on the issues. For us the answer is simple, after 27 failed years of rule between them ,they do not want Ghanaians to compare their record with the CPP record on job creation, education, health, industrialization, infrastructure development, agriculture , or to assess the Fresh Leadership and new ideas that the CPP bring to the table.

Forward Ever!!! Long Live Ghana’s Democracy

Communications Directorate – www.cppuk.org info@cppuk.org cppyouth@gmail.com