The Institute of Economic Affairs has addressed media reports that they were involved in leaking questions to President John Mahama before he took part in the 2012 presidential debate in Tamale.
Dr. Ransford Gyampo, a Research Fellow at the Governance Unit of the Institute of Economic Affairs told Peacefmonline.com that it took him by surprise when he heard about the news in the media.
According to him, a presidential debate committee was established even before the IEA organized the event in Tamale.
He further disclosed that the institute had no hand in the questions the presidential aspirants were asked.
A staunch member of the New Patriotic Party, Hon. Mathew Opoku Prempeh is reported to have alleged that the IEA leaked questions to President John Mahama during the 2012 presidential debate.
He raised questions about factors the institute considered before nominating Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang as moderator of the event.
But Dr. Gyampo replies that the IEA has absolutely no hand in the selection of moderators. He continues that “in determining the moderator for the 2012 presidential debate, representatives from each party did the selection. The representatives from the various parties then supported names that got rated higher.”
“I have heard people saying IEA gave out questions to President Mahama. I feel very bad about it because when it comes to the selection of moderators, the various parties were solely responsible for that and not the IEA. If those making the allegations have any protest to make, the IEA expects a formal letter from them to enable us address the matter properly,” he suggested.
Unfortunately, Dr. Gyampo reveals that till date, nothing of that sort has been mailed to them and it makes it difficult for them to respond to “hearsay”.
