A concurrent show of pundits on Metro TV roundly saw the Convention People's Party (CPP) flagbearer, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, as the runaway candidate who connected with the electorate, through the IEA debate last Wednesday night, moderated by veteran communication chiefs Messrs Cyril Acolatse and Kwame Karikari.

For the Convention People's candidate, who had longed for a platform like Wednesday's, when the opportunity came, he seized it with both hands, urged on by his swooning wife Yvonne, his excitable campaign chief, David, his lukewarm comrade Professor Badu Akosah, his unflappable running-mate Abu Sakara, and a little wind-assisted turbo-prop from his 'private' Cardinal Appiah Turkson, into one sterling command performance.

For Nduom, who appears to be going nowhere in the polls, he needed an opportunity and another one on November 12th at Tamale, to shore up his ratings at the polls, for him to rake in the large number of undecided voters - some say as high as 14 per cent - into his column.

Papa Kwesi made the most of his moment, as the frontline candidates, Nana Akufo-Addo and Prof John Evans Atta Mills, faithfully went through their paces, ending on a high.

Not a single shot was fired in anger, though there were anxious moments with Mills insisting that there were cadavers littered on the sidewalks, because his dealings with the Association of Ghanaian Industries (AGI), the private sector, was now virtually comatose, having been abandoned for years now.

When the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, added the negative growth in agriculture, Nana Addo rebuffed him by reeling off figures to show that Mills was wrong, when he indicated that there was negative growth, despite the ten per cent addition to the GDP (gross domestic product) by the manufacturing sector, and an additional 9.1 per cent in agriculture.

Commentators on Joy Business, yesterday said both were right, depending on how one chose to interpret the issues. In industry, for example, there was negative growth, they said.

But the most charitable comment came from the one person who was qualified to make it - the former Finance Minister and reigning Oyeadieyie, Mr. Osafo Maafo.

He said conceded that Nduom was right on top, but believed that his man was also there with the most detailed answers, going on the allude to the domestic content law, which he said, he was going to bringing in to safeguard the interest and concerns of Ghanaian entrepreneurs.

Meanwhile, listeners and viewers in the regions have praised Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom for the precise answers he gave to questions put to him.

Below are views sampled by our regional correspondents. Read on.

Ashanti Region From Sebastian R. Freiku and Issah Alhassan, Kumasi

DR. PAPA Kwesi Nduom, flagbearer of the Convention People's Party (CPP), last Wednesday night thrilled the Ghanaian electorate with brilliant presentations, at the first of the IEA presidential debates held at the Ghana/India Kofi Annan International ICT Centre.

Residents in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi, lauded the performance of the CPP flagbearer, who pitched his prowess against New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Nana Akufo Addo, Prof. Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Dr. Edward Mahama of the People's National Convention (PNC), at the forum intended to strengthen democracy in Ghana.

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo also amazed Ghanaians with his visions, quality of presentation, and approach to issues raised for discussion by the moderators.

The respondents, in views sampled by The Chronicle, vouched the credibility of views shared by the two flagbearers at the forum, saying their body language and quality of stuff, and presentation, indicated that they were at peace with themselves.

But, while many believe that the CPP flagbearer put a scintillating performance and articulated the views and policies of his party, others think that the NPP presidential candidate did well, considering the fact that he had to defend the policies of the current government, and advance his own.

A Lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering Department of the Kumasi Polytechnic, Dr. Owusu Achiaw, told the paper that even though he liked what he was hearing from Nana Akufo Addo, he was very impressed with the performance of Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom.

According to him, considering the limited time frame allotted to the contestants to answer questions, he believed the CPP flagbearer was very elaborate, and effectively communicated to the understanding of the average Ghanaian.

"Nduom managed to grasp the issues, identified the problem with illustrations, and offered concrete solutions, which perhaps, were missing from the other contestants, particularly, Prof. Mills," he noted.

To him, Mills did not help things, because he spent much of his time attacking the present government, and failed to offer his party's alternative policies. Though quite an experienced politician, Prof Atta Mills of the NDC was simply aggressive and impatient, he said.

The News Editor of Kapital 97.1 FM, a Kumasi-based private radio station, Mr. Erastus Asare Donkor, was also full of praises for the CPP flagbearer, and said Dr. Nduom was more focused, purposeful, and very straight to the point with respect to his answers.

He mentioned the CPP flagbearer's view on the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and the fact there was the need for the country to focus much attention on how to improve domestic investments, and avoid over reliance on our foreign partners.

Mr. Asare Donkor said even though Prof. Mills' view on education was somehow convincing that night, Dr. Nduom sought to instil a lot of confidence in the youth of this country, through his youth empowerment policy.

A teaching assistant at the Kumasi Polytechnic, Emmanuel Antwi, however, lauded the initiative of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), and said the programme, if sustained, would help advance the course of democracy in the country.

He, however, thinks Nana Akufo Addo was very impressive at the forum, because he dealt with facts and figures, and was more explicit, regarding the solutions to issues.

Callers into radio talk shows, the day after the IEA-organised event, showered lots of praises on Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, with known NPP members admitting that had it not been their political biases, they would have given their votes to the CPP flagbearer.

Meanwhile, residents and callers into radio programmes have commended the Institute of Economic Affairs for adding value to Ghana's democracy by this single event.

Central Region

Some individual views sampled in Cape Coast on Thursday, praised Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom for performing to their admiration, at just-ended presidential debate, hosted by the IEA on Wednesday, reports Alan Paintsil from Cape Coast

David Assumin, a student, said Dr. Nduom did well in presenting what he could do for the country, but missed the opportunity, by failing to mention his team to the nation, as he was very individualistic.

According to Assumin, because Dr. Nduom had no experience in governing the country, he was always referring to himself, while his opponents, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Nana Akufo Addo of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), were using "we" to refer to their groups.

Another businessman, Kofi Acquah, hailed Prof. Mills for his incisive answers to the questions, because he was cautious about time, and did not want the organisers to draw his attention to bell-outs.

According to him, his analysis on the oil discovery was very superb, and described his submission as an Obama style of debate, in which he attacked the ruling party.

On Nana Akufo Addo, Kwow Mensah, a teacher, said he made his day by espousing the achievements of the ruling NPP, and what he intended doing with oil funds when given the mandate to rule.

On Dr. Mahama, Essinam Kokroko, a student, maintained that the medical doctor did well to explain his policies on women, and that it was good that the programme was organised for the four contestants.

On rating, Frank Senam, a student, put Prof. Mills above all, while Kofi Boahene, a resident in Cape Coast, put Nduom second.

Western Region

Alfred Adams reports from Takoradi that the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) much publicized debate, which was organized for the flagbearers of four political parties on Wednesday, has received divergent reactions from the clergy and the civil society.

While supporters of each flagbearer, who took part in the debate, continued to shower praises on their candidates, the clergy and the civil society, who spoke to The Chronicle in separate telephone interviews, disagreed and offered diverse opinions on the subject.

Mr. Joseph Ebo Quarshie, a former National President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), who was first to speak on the subject, praised Dr. Paa Kwesi Ndoum of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) for his answers.

Nana Akufo Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), according to the former GBA President, was also marvellous with his answers on foreign policy.

Nonetheless, Ebo Quarshie thinks the programme was not a semblance of a debate, but more like a lecture, where the aspirants had anticipated the questions, and were just lecturing on how they would tackle a problem, based on the question posed.

To him, the programme should have allowed room for interjections among the aspirants, so that "we can separate the wheat from the chaff."

Mr. Ebo Quarshie told this reporter that the debate provided an atmosphere of what he called 'camaraderie' where the aspirants smiled and shook hands with each other, sending signals to their supporters that politics was not about violence, but sharing and disagreeing on ideas.

On his part, Mr. Seth Kwame Awuku, a Lawyer by profession, told this reporter that Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom was his man of the day, with respect to how he gave accurate answers to the questions posed by the moderators to his admiration.

To him, "Nduom was exciting, articulate and showed that he was a communicator. I will give him 9/10."

On the contrary, the presidential candidate of the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo, according to Mr. Awuku, did not perform at all, and should be graded as the candidate who came last in the debate.

To Awuku, Akufo-Addo spent much of his time defending government policies, instead of telling Ghanaians what he would do. "That was his difficulty, but you have to understand him to defend his government policies. He disappointed a lot of people, because much was expected of him to perform."

On his part, the Bishop of the Sekondi-Diocese of the Anglican Church, Rt. Rev. Joseph Kwamina Otto, told this reporter that he was surprised about the simplistic answers the flagbearer of the CPP was giving as to how he would create jobs.

To the Bishop, Ndoum should never think that he could change Ghana overnight, when he gets power.

For example, according to the Bishop, Nduom failed to tell how he was going to raise money to create jobs for Ghanaians.

Though Bishop Otto did not rate any candidate as having performed creditably, the programme, according to him, sent the signal that we could have the election in a peaceful manner.

As to what different thing he wished the programme to tackle the next time round, Bishop responded that he would glad if they were asked to comment on how to restrain their supporters, to avoid violence.

The Senior Preacher at the Takoradi Churches of Christ, Brother Daniel Owusu Asiamah, who is noted for his fierce critics on tithing, told this paper that the programme taught us how to tolerate each other, with regards to how the aspirants were shaking hands with each other.

However, Dr. Nduom of the CPP, according to the Preacher, came up tops, with respect to how he tackled the issues.

On the other hand, Nana Akufo-Addo and Professor Atta Mills of the NPP and the NDC respectively, showed Ghanaians their entrenched positions, when it comes to national issues.

To Brother Asiamah, instead of Nana telling Ghanaians what he would do, he spent much time defending government policies, and that was his great disadvantage, "as far as great minds are concerned." Mills, on his part, also spent time identifying the problems, and was not specific in dealing with them.

Brong Ahafo Region

From Sunyani Michael Boateng reports that the presidential debate, organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), attracted various reactions from a section of the public within the Sunyani township, with the majority commending the moderators and the candidates, for their creditable performances.

The moderators, despite their commendations, were accused for not asking questions on issues concerning the environment, banking and finance, with emphasis on the deadly HIV/AIDS menace.

Mr. Collins Offinam Takyi, Regional Administrator of the Association of Rural Banks (ARB), noted that the debate was valuable, and would have changed the decisions of many voters, if it had been organised earlier, than just a few weeks to the polls.

He said Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, among the contestants, performed creditably with a clear-cut and straight to the point approach to the issues raised, adding that his policies seem feasible, while he appreciated the existing problems in the country.

According to Mr. Offinam Takyi, Nana Akufo-Addo was more of a talkative, trying to justify the achievements of the present government, whilst Prof. Mills was trying to attack the government. Dr. Edward Mahama was not convincing enough, and was making mere political talk.

Dr. Nduom was impressive with practical policies, whilst Prof. Mills pursued an agenda of pressurising Nana Akufo-Addo to defend President Kufuor's administration, alongside marketing his policies to the public, which made him talk a lot, he noted.

He was however not happy with the moderators, when issues on banking and finance, as well as HIV/AIDS, were missing, and entreated them to consider those areas in subsequent debates.

The Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Mr. Isaac Osei, on his part, said the debate was a step in the right direction, to give the Ghanaian electorate the opportunity to assess the various presidential candidates, on how they would lead the country.

Mr. Isaac Osei commended the IEA, moderators of the debate and the candidates, but was concerned over how issues concerning the environment and waste management were missing, saying Ghanaians were denied the opportunity to know the policies instituted by the candidates, on how to protect the environment, and manage waste to the advantage of the country.

According to the EPA Director, the candidates performed creditably in their tasks, as they all proved their capabilities to lead the country, with some feasible policies and programmes.

He said though some of the policies outlined by the candidates were mere political talk, it indicated that lot would be done in terms of the transformation of the country's economy, if any of the candidate gets the nod.

Mr. Osei, again, was concerned about the lingua franca used to explain the policies, saying lots of the electorate would found it difficult to understand the issues, except being lured to vote for a candidate, based on the gimmicks of expressions and personality.

Volta Region

Samuel Agbewode reports from the Volta Regional capital, Ho, that a section of people in the municipality, have lauded the debate, which they believe has set the stage for peaceful elections.

Teachers, businessmen and women and civil servants, who were interviewed, said they were satisfied with the articulation of all the candidates who participated in the debate.

One of the business persons, Mr. Akwesi Attombo, said the programme afforded the presidential candidates the opportunity to articulate their views to the public.

He pointed out that all the candidates who participated in the debate, had positive minds for the development of the country, but the implementation of such programmes and plans, was the problem, and urged the organisers to limit the participants to specific issues like trade and governance, that they can handle thoroughly.

Mr. Attombo said even though the candidates performed creditably, there was the need for them to address the issues of job creation and promotion of trade and agriculture, which were the main concerns of business men and women, as well as people living in the rural areas.

The civil servants, who pleaded anonymity, said they were impressed with the CPP presidential candidate, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, and Nana Akufo Addo, the NPP presidential candidate.

To them, Dr. Nduom was confident about what his visions for the nation were, and articulated thoroughly the plans and programmes a CPP government would implement, when given the opportunity.

They, however, said Nana Akufo Addo also presented his development plans and policies in a manner that was appreciable, but were quick to add that he looked more defensive on issues relating to the current government, of which he was a member.

The civil servants noted that the NDC candidate, Prof. Atta Mills, also performed creditably, but was more on the offensive, as he sometimes tried to attack the NPP rather than tell the people what he could do to improve their lives.

They nevertheless said Prof. Mills had more chances of becoming the next president than all the candidates, because he had once served as Vice President of the country, hence when given the nod he could perform better.

Another businessman, who spoke to The Chronicle, Mr. Seidu Bukari said the debate was highly interesting, as the candidates related well. Upper East Region

Views from a cross-section of the public in Bolgatanga, after the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) presidential debate, suggest that the flagbearer of the Convention People's Party (CPP), Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, was the one who won the hearts of the many floating voters, reports William Jalulah.

The responders, who included students of voting age, teachers, civil workers and self-employed individuals, observed that Dr. Nduom was very specific on issues, by numbering and addressing them one after the other, with practical examples.

One of such responders was a teacher at Aim Preparatory School in the Bolgatanga Municipality, Mr. Ganiwu Salifu, who also said he was personally impressed with Dr. Nduom's submissions, because "he spoke like a president who was addressing the entire nation."

Mr. Ganiwu was particularly happy with the way Nduom tackled the question about oil, saying that if it would not benefit Ghanaians, then it should better remain in the ground, meaning that he would ensure that Ghanaians, especially communities around the catchment area of the find, benefited immensely from the resource.

In his views, Nana Addo of the NPP spoke as if he was addressing intellectuals and not ordinary voters.

He said the candidate should have spoken in simple terms and specific in addressing the issues. One thing that was unanimous among the respondents, were congratulatory messages to the IEA for organising such a debate.

They hoped it would impact positively or negatively on each candidate, thus giving the opportunity to the undecided electorate to make their choices.

There were however some mixed reactions from some respondents. While some said Dr. Edward Mahama of the PNC was very objective and specific in addressing the issues, others saw him as someone who was either saying the same things said by Prof Mills of the NDC, or Dr. Nduom of the CPP.

Some also criticised Prof. Mills for attacking Nana Addo and the NPP government, rather than answering the questions.

One panellist, on Style FM Supper Morning Show, a newspaper review programme on Style FM in Bolgatanga, noted to be a strong NDC member confessed, "it is unfortunate that Ghanaians do not vote on issues, the political terrain would have changed in favour of Nduom, because he catalogued the issues."

A popular NPP member in the region, who pleaded anonymity, expressed what she said was disappointment, in Nana Addo, claiming that his posture and the shirt he wore were not appealing.

She was also not happy with the manner in which Nana occasionally mentioned the names of the two moderators, Cyril Acolatse and Prof Kwame Karikari, before answering questions.

In her view, Nana was speaking to the whole nation to seek power, and not the moderators.

Some of the respondents were however quick to say that Nana started well when he addressed the issue of the economy and international relations, but fell short when "Prof. Mills started pushing him to the wall."

Though some claimed they have already made up their minds on who to vote for, they said while Prof Mills and Dr. Mahama were wasting time enumerating problems facing the nation, instead of solutions, Nana also wasted more time dwelling on the achievements of the Kufuor administration, and was always belled out.

They said Dr. Nduom then took advantage of his colleagues' weaknesses, and articulated himself to the admiration of most viewers or listeners of the debate. Eastern Region

From Isaac Akwetey, Koforidua Residents in Koforidua, capital of the Eastern Region, have described last Wednesday's presidential debate, organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), as bogus and a mere stage of entertainment, since it would not have any influence on the forthcoming December general elections.

According to them, the outcome of the debate had nothing to offer any of the candidates, since the good people of Ghana have already made up their minds as to who to vote for in the December 7 elections.

Even though they condemned the programme, some described the total display of the four presidential candidates as above average, since they all answered their questions in a very professional manner, political maturity, and displayed one common goal.

On the other hand, many were those, mainly traders and commercial drivers, who were surprised over the way Nana Akufo-Addo responded to a questioned asked by the moderators, on how he would fund the free Senior High School education.

They explained that Nana's promise of ensuring a free SHS was mere political gimmick, since he could not answer questions on how to fund the programme. Some were also not happy that other presidential candidates were not allowed to participate in the debate.

They, however, congratulated Dr. Nduom for his excellent display.

They explained that the CPP candidate was the man of the night, since he was very precise and laconic with his answers.