President Mills and Vice President John Mahama will not participate in this year's presidential and vice-presidential debates being organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs. The governing National Democratic (NDC) declined the invitation of the Institute of Economic Affairs for an encounter with their presidential candidate. A statement signed by the Propaganda Secretary of the NDC, Mr Richard Quashiga said the NDC "wishes to reaffirm its decision not to participate in this year’s presidential and vice presidential debate being sponsored by the IEA. "The NDC government has previously drawn the IEA’s attention to the fact that no sitting president or vice president in the 4th republic has participated in these debates. It is the party’s position to uphold that convention. "The NDC wishes the IEA well and will continue to collaborate with it in order matters of mutual interest," the statement concluded.