Accra, Ghana, October 30, 2020//-The 2020 pre-election survey findings released by Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), an independent, non-government and non-profit research and advocacy institute that promotes democracy, good governance and economic openness in Ghana and Africa, revealed that the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) is engaged in vote buying.
According to survey, 57% of Ghanaians strongly agreed that the government handing out material things to some citizens close to elections is meant to buy their votes.
While 57% strongly agreed that the government undertaking and commissioning development projects close is meant to influence their votes.
Speaking at the launch of the survey findings in Accra, Dr Edem Selormey, Director of Research at CDD-Ghana said: “Ghanaians see election year government projects as vote buying”
The survey which was conducted from September-October 2020 has a sample size of 2,400 yields a margin of error of ±2 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
However 36% of Ghanaians who took part in the face-to-face interviews in the languages of the respondents’ choices- Twi, Ewe, Ga, Dagbani and Dagaare strongly disagreed that the government handing out material things to some citizens close to elections is not vote buying.
While 37% of them also strongly disagreed that the incumbent undertaking and commissioning development projects close to elections is not vote buying.
Survey methodology
Nationally representative sample of adult citizens was made of 50% male and 50% female who were randomly selected covered the 16 regions of the country.
Sample according to Dr Selormey was distributed across regions and urban-rural areas in proportion to their share in the national adult population.
Background
Initiated in 2016, the CDD-Ghana pre-election survey is aimed at picking early warning signals by tracking citizens’ opinion on the overall level of the country’s preparedness for elections; public confidence in the competence, integrity and neutrality of election relevant state and quasi-state bodies; and voter behaviour, expectations, priorities and potential turn-out.
With funding support from USAID/Ghana, CDD-Ghana conducted a pre-election survey from September 28 to October 16, 2020.
The survey also helps isolate and identify voter concerns regarding election security, physical intimidation, violence, and perceived peacefulness of the political environment.
Ghana’s election 2020
Ghanaians go to the polls in December to elect their president and Members of Parliament (MPs) to steer the affairs of the West African country for the next four years.
The incumbent President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who is on the ticket of the NPP is facing former President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the December 7th election.
Political analysts say both men are capable of winning the keenly contested election.
African Eye Report
