General News of Monday, 16 September 2019

Source: rainbowradioonline.com

EIU 2020 election prediction not only bogus but rubbish - Lecturer

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

Political scientist and lecturer at the Ghana Telecom University College, Anim Piesie has rubbished the recent predictions by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), describing it useless.

The lecturer told Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm that the prediction will not have a serious impact on the 2020 general elections.

He indicated the institution that organized the prediction have no basis to alter such rubbish because they are not Ghanaians and does not understand the dynamics of our political system.

The EIU has predicted victory for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2020 election in its latest report.

The report leased on Friday, September 13, 2019, said the NPP and President Akufo-Addo will win next year’s election because Ghanaians see them as better custodians of the economy.

“The next national elections are due in 2020. The Economist Intelligence Unit expects the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to retain power, as the party is seen as a better custodian of the economy than the opposition National Democratic Congress,” it said.

It further explained: “The next presidential and parliamentary elections are due in November 2020. During the remainder of the term in office of the president, Nana Akufo-Addo, the economic situation will generally improve.

In the presidential election, Mr. Akufo-­Addo will face a challenge from John Mahama— Ghana’s president from 2012 to early 2017—who was elected leader of the opposition NDC in February 2019.

“The campaign for the 2016 election was dominated by the faltering economy, which many Ghanaians still associate with Mr. Mahama. As a result, The Economist Intelligence Unit believes that it will be difficult for the NDC under Mr. Mahama to portray itself as the better custodian of Ghana’s economy, especially as the country’s growth outlook is fairly strong. We, therefore, expect Mr. Akufo-Addo and the NPP to secure re-election in 2020. However, if the NDC can present a coherent opposition and hold the NPP to account on unfulfilled campaign promises -particularly on job creation and industrialization where progress has been generally slow and success patchy—the election could be closely contested”.

But the lecturer has slammed EIU saying the work was bogus, irrelevant and should be treated with contempt.

Meanwhile, he has also slammed politicians for taking to fulfill their promises made to Ghanaians.

He said Ghanaians should be concerned about the deception of politicians and demand for accountability, transparency and good governance.

He said politicians only to come to power to enrich themselves at the expense of citizens.