The Herald, has picked up reports, suggesting confusion in the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana (UG) over the opinion polls allegedly carried out on the 2020 elections.
This paper’s information is that, the said research work was not done by the department, but by a few lecturers, who are pursuing their parochial political interests.
The Herald learnt that there were no discussions on the work ahead of its commencement, compilation, analysis and release by the lecturers spearheading it.
Indeed, there are doubts as to whether there had been any research at all. The work has been described as a one-man research done by Dr. Isaac Owusu-Mensah, who claimed he research in the name of the Political Science Department, captured the opinions of some 11,000 respondents nationwide.
The head of the department, Dr. Maame Adwoa Gyekye-Jandoh, The Herald learnt, appears confused.
The Herald is informed that days before the release of the work which had projected Akufo-Addo as winning the election by almost 52percent, some lecturers, who had heard about the machinations sent emails around, warning their colleagues to desist from using the department to pursue their political and financial interests, but this was ignored by all, including the head of the department.
The Herald is further informed that, the Vice-Chancellor, has also been inundated with calls from some of the lecturers on the misuse of their names and reputation of the state-owned university to favour people’s political ambitions.
Mention was made of Dr. Bossman Asare, the former head of the Political Science Department who together with some colleague lecturers, had used the name of the school in similar schemes and gotten appointment from the Akufo-Addo government as the deputy boss of the Electoral Commission (EC).
The survey had indicated that a number of Ghanaians, will be influenced by government policies, campaign promises and political affiliations during the December 7 general elections.
35.8percent of Ghanaians according to the survey, said they will vote based on government policies, while 23.8percent said they will cast their ballots based on the campaign promises they hear.
According to the survey, 18.1percent of Ghanaians, said they will vote base on their party affiliations.
According to the UG Political Science Department, 11,000 respondents were sampled for the survey in 100 swing constituencies nationwide.
The report of the survey, also noted that only 4percent of the sampled population, said corruption would inform their choice.
The survey, also predicted a 51.7percent victory for the governing New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Nana Akufo-Addo in the upcoming general elections.
The flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama according to the survey is also expected to follow with 40.4percent of the vote cast.
The candidate of the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), Christian Kwabena Andrews, placed third in the survey with 1.4percent of the sample size. CPP’s Ivor Greenstreet , also placed fourth according to the survey with 0.8percent.
According to the survey, 4.7percent of the sampled population, say they are yet to decide on who to vote for less than two weeks to the elections.
Source: The Herald
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