The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), a public service broadcaster in the United Kingdom, has disclosed that the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, denied its request for an interview ahead of the West African country's elections.

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Ahead of the December 7 polls, the BBC said it reached out to the front runners of the presidential race, the National Democratic Congress' (NDC) John Mahama and Dr Bawumia but only Mahama accepted their request for an interview. "The BBC has asked for an interview with the other main presidential candidate, Ghana’s current Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, but he has declined," the BBC wrote in a post on Instagram.

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The ruling party is yet to comment on the subject matter.John Mahama, who engaged BBC's Thomas Naadi, discussed the idea of a 24-hour economy, whether or not he will sign into law Ghana’s anti-LGBT legislation should he be elected, and the issue of illegal mining.

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On the verdict of the elections, he said, "I will accept the election results only if the process is fair," and on assenting to the the controversial anti-LGBTQI bill, formally titled the “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill,” should he become president, the former president said, “It depends on what is in the Bill.

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”Touching on the cost of the 24-hour economy he seeks to implement, Mahama, when asked about how much it would cost, said, "you can't put a cost on it immediately. 24-hour economy is not an event; it is a process. And so even while we are stabilising the macroeconomic environment and bringing inflation down and interest rates down, we will be implementing the 24-hour economy.

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" View this post on Instagram A post shared by BBC News Africa (@bbcafrica)When asked about the possibility of executing the agenda in 4 years, he said, "we will start at least".

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Touching on the continuous implementation even after he leaves office, Mahama said,"four years, is that the end of Ghana? So after four years, that's it?"He added that it "would be Ghana's loss" if the government that succeed's his decides no longer to implement the 24-hour economy.

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 With regards to illegal mining popularly known as 'Galamsey', he noted that his government will combat the menace by "stopping mining in forest reserves and secondly, stop mining on water bodies.

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"On the prosecution of anti-galamsey protestors, he assured that he would direct the Attorney-General to "file a nolle prosequi and stop their prosecution""To be remanded to custody for two weeks because of going on a protest, I think it was high-handed," he added.The protest in the country descended into chaos, leading to the arrest of 53 demonstrators in September.

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Among the detainees are Oliver Barker Vormawor, Grace Asantewaa, Felicity Nelson and Elorm Ama Ababio, popularly known as Ama Governor.They face charges including conspiracy to commit a crime, unlawful assembly, causing unlawful damage, offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace, and assault on a public officer. Despite pleading not guilty, the court remanded them.

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