CDD’s survey;gov’t must acknowledge concerns raised by Ghanaians – Ablakwa

The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says President Akufo-Addo is the main reason for the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) poor performance in the 2020 general election.

Mr Ablakwa referenced the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana)’s post-election 2020 survey to argue his position. He noted that prior to the survey, reports that made the rounds accused the NPP MPs of the party’s poor performance.

However, this survey, he said brings things into perspective on who exactly should be held responsible.

According to the CDD survey, “58 per cent of Ghanaians attributed the reduction in President Akufo-Addo’s vote margin to the policy decisions and actions his MPs and appointees took as well as the President’s performance.”

The North Tongu MP explained that out of 58 per cent recorded, 39 per cent of Ghanaians put the blame on the shoulders of President Akufo-Addo, hence his current position.

“The perception about the President’s performance and then the perception about the President’s policy decisions, if you put those two together, 21 per cent and 18 per cent, that is huge. That is 39 per cent. In terms of the MPs and assemblies, it is only 19 per cent so this post-election survey reveals that the President must take a greater share of blame in terms of the poor performance of the NPP in the 2020 polls,” he said.

Speaking on JoyNews‘ Newsfile, Mr Ablakwa noted that the recent concerns raised by many, including Professor Addae Mensah and Professor Lumumba on corruption, following this survey should inform the President to sit up and fight the canker as promised during his 2016 and 2020 campaigns.

“I think the President has to sit up. Just this week, we heard what Professor Lumumba had to say. In 2017, he had voiced out very high expectations for the Ghanaian President. He thought that he had said the right things and would move the country in the right direction,” he told host Samson Lardy Anyenini.

The CDD survey states that majority of Ghanaians are not confident in government’s ability to protect the country’s financial resources and curb corruption and official impunity.

Emeritus Professor of Chemistry and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Ivan Addae-Mensah described as worrying, the level of corruption related issues raised by Ghanaians.

According to Mr Ablakwa, the incumbent government should acknowledge the concerns raised by Ghanaians rather than describe the survey as propaganda.

“You should be able to accept that this survey calls for concern. We accept it, we will work on it and you can go further to talk about what you are going to do but when you are dismissive that it is all propaganda, the people are fed with propaganda…PDS is not propaganda. The Australian visa scandal is not propaganda.”

His comment was in response to statements by former NPP Chairman, Peter Mac-Manu, who stated that the Akufo-Addo led government is on course with the fight against corruption in the country.

“If you look at the hullabaloo people are talking about you will be amazed. I mean look at what people are saying, it means that there is so much propaganda than the actual work that is going on. That’s the way that I see it from the result and we must look at actuals than propaganda,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Ablakwa has lauded the efforts of the Center for Democratic Development, Ghana (CDD-Ghana), stating that the survey will serve as a guide for government.

“I think it is important to commend CDD for this post-election survey. It is really useful. It will help us improve on evidence-based policy for those of us who are in the space as political actors. It helps as a guide particularly, if you look at the responses on Parliament on the expectations of the people of public office holders generally. People are saying they want to see more accountability, integrity, honesty, respect for them.”

Parts of the survey stated that, “Majority of Ghanaians have positive views on the election of an opposition NDC member as Speaker of Parliament. Many of the respondents believe it will make the President and government more transparent (77%) and also promote NPP- NDC cooperation and collaboration (72%). However, about a half of the respondents (52%) do not think it will make any difference.”

He, however, raised concerns such as the timing of the survey. In his view, such a survey should have been conducted two months after the elections.

Nonetheless, he was quick to add that this concern, “does not take away substantial information.”