Poll Shows Low Approval Rating For Police, Courts

Accra (GAR), July 4, - A survey conducted by the International Federation of Election Systems (IFES) on the approval rating of the various arms of government has shown that Ghanaians have the least confidence in the Police and Courts. Only 25 per cent of those surveyed said they had a 'great deal' of confidence in the Police. Twenty-seven per cent said they had a 'fair amount' of confidence, 21 per cent said they do not have 'much confidence' and 22 per cent said they had 'no confidence at all' in the Police. The survey showed that 26 per cent said they have a 'great deal' of confidence in the courts, 29 per cent said they have a 'fair amount' of confidence, 21 per cent said they did not rpt not have 'very much confidence ' and 10 per cent said they had 'no confidence at all' in the courts. The survey was conducted nationwide between last February and April with a sample of 2,300 people aged above 18 years. Dr. Chris McCarty of the University of Florida who coordinated the research told GRi in an interview that the survey had a margin of error of between two and seven per cent. The survey gave a high approval rate for President Jerry John Rawlings with 61 per cent saying they had 'great deal' of confidence in him. Seventeen per cent said they had a 'fair amount' of confidence in him with only nine per cent saying they did not have 'very much' confidence in him. Nobody said he did 'not have confidence' in him. Parliament had a 48 per cent approval rate of 'great deal' of confidence. Twenty-six per cent had a 'fair amount of confidence,' 13 per cent 'not very much' confidence, and five per cent 'no confidence' at all. District Assemblies posted 31 per cent level of 'great deal of confidence', 25 per cent 'fair amount of confidence," 20 per cent 'not very much' confidence' and 16 per cent 'no confidence at all. On corruption the survey showed that 46 per cent of Ghanaians believe there is high level of corruption in official circles. Fifteen per cent believe it is 'fairly common,' four per cent 'fairly uncommon,' and six per cent 'very uncommon.' Twenty-eight per cent said they did not know about corruption in official circles.