There is a proverb that goes like “what’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander”. I remember Clearly in 2016 when the then President of Ghana His Excellence John Dramani Mahama was touring the regions with a campaign message that the people of Ghana should give him a second tenure in office. The campaign message was simple, vote for me again based on my developmental projects.

It could be recalled that the New Patriotic Party at the time in opposition made mockery of John Mahama campaign message with some of the “Big Men” in the party making claims that the ordinary Ghanaian do not need infrastructure to develop or grow the economy.

“Would Ghanaians eat infrastructure?” Said one of the “Big Men” in the Party. This statement made it quite clear that it is obvious the NPP acknowledged the fact that the Mahama administration made massive progress in terms of infrastructure just that they don’t buy the idea that it is enough for the development of the economy.

According to the Opposition, Ghana needs more than infrastructures to develop and grow as a country. Their campaign message was about Free Senior High School, Growing the Ghanaian economy with double figures , Massive reduction in borrowing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Planting for food and jobs and the rest. The New Patriotic Party through it campaign message were given power by the people of Ghana.

Shocking three and half years down the line and we are hear again. Is an election year and the various parties are putting measures in place to campaign for power. Surprisedly the NPP when in opposition made mockery of the fact that infrastructure can do little in the growth of the economy are now campaigning with the same message of infrastructure. Telling Ghanaians the number of development projects they have put in place since they took over from the NDC. This should tell you the ordinary Ghanaian the kind of game these politicians are playing with our minds.

The President stated clearly that this year’s election is all about track records. In short vote for the NPP or NDC based on their developmental projects (Infrastructure).
Replying to the statement made by the President, John Mahama decided to throw a challenge to the President by stating that the two of them should have a national debate on Infrastructure. A debate which in my opinion is very important to our political discourse as a country.
This debate if held will give Ghanaians the opportunity to access the performances of the two administration and based on that they can make their final decision as to who to vote for in this year’s election.

Shockley the NPP who claim to have the “Big Men” who are known to be great Squabblers and are maladaptive in nature decided against the debate thrown to them by the Ex President.
They surprisingly stated that debating the Ex President in terms of who has the best records with regards to infrastructure is not part of their campaign.

This left me wondering isn’t this the NPP that claim to stand for democracy ? This is an opportunity to prove it. Isn’t this an opportunity for the NPP to prove to Ghanaians that they have done more than enough in terms of infrastructure looking at the fact that they have already published the number of projects carried out under their administration. This debate gives

them the opportunity to prove with evidence the project they have already published. This debate gives them the opportunity to show Ghanaians the pitfalls in the Mahama administration in terms of infrastructure. This debate will give Ghanaians and other countries the opportunity to witness for the first time in our history two dominant parties locks horns on who has the best records in terms of infrastructure.

This, I believe will go along way to promote our democracy and give meaning to the fact that democracy is really for the people. The debate of politics of infrastructure will help to seal our place as one of the finest country that understands politics and democracy. I think the media should do well to push for this debate before the election is held on the 7th of December. The United State had a Presidential debate which gave meaning to democracy and I believe we should do same.
My message is simple the President should accept the challenge and let democracy speak.

The Writer is a freelance journalist, a Columnist and a student of the Ghana Institute of Journalism.