IEA: Hassan Ayariga�s Absence Will Not Affect Debate

The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) says it has no intention of postponing the final presidential debate slated for November 20. Presidential candidate for the People�s National Convention (PNC), Hasan Ayariga, has requested that the debate be postponed due to his ill-health and the fact that the nation is still mourning the death of former Vice President in the erstwhile Kufuor administration, Alhaji Aliu Mahama. However, speaking in an interview with Kwami Sefa-Kayi, on Peace FM's "kokrokoo" programme, Mrs. Jean Mensah, Executive Director of IEA said preparations for the debate are far advanced and postponing it will be difficult. According to her, the institute has not received a formal notification from Hassan Ayariga indicating that he will not be able to attend the debate; they heard it in an interview granted by Hassan Ayariga in the media. "It will be very difficult to postponed this,we have not received any official letter from him,we feel that it is in his (former vice president) honour that the debate will happen. We believe that for a man who believes in democracy, it will be in his honour to hold this debate. We shall observe a one minute silence in his honour. We have not received any formal notification from the party that they are not attending. It is rather unfortunate that his position will deny the good people of Ghana the opportunity to hear from the candidate; what they have for this country", she said. She indicated that the absence of the Hassan Ayariga will not affect the debate in anyway. "I think it will be a big disappointment to our nation. I don�t think that his absence will mar this debate...If he comes, it will be very good for all of us as a nation but if for one reason or the other he is not able to come,then we would still continue. We are going on with it and we are not postponing it at all". she added.