EIU Report: NPP not complacent – John Boadu

The General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP), John Boadu has disclosed that the NPP will not be complacent about a report from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) that put the NPP as favourites to win the 2020 elections.

According to him, they have made their preparations and that they are still working things out that will ensure their victory 2020.

Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that with the achievement of the New Patriotic Party within these two years, they are convinced that they are going to win the 2020 elections.

"That notwithstanding, we are still working as a party to ensure that our victory 2020 will be a resounding one, adding that they will not relent on their effort and be comfortable with the EIU report," he added.

The Economist Intelligence Unit, EIU, has predicted that the governing New Patriotic Party, NPP, will secure re-election in 2020.

The EIU in its country report on Ghana released on May 13, 2019, said it will be difficult for the opposition NDC under former President John Dramani Mahama, to portray itself as the better custodian of Ghana’s economy, especially as the country’s growth outlook looks fairly strong.

The EIU has over the years released similar reports and predictions on Ghana’s elections, which in a number of cases have turned out to be right.

Nana Akufo-Addo in the 2016 elections, beat then President John Mahama by polling 5,716,026 million votes, representing 53.85%, while John Mahama polled 4,713,277 million votes representing 44.40%, the worse so far for an incumbent President.

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Specifically, on elections, the EIU says “Nana Akufo-Addo, the President, and his NPP will see the country’s economic situation generally improve during the remainder of their terms of office."

"In the presidential election, it says 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.”

It says "the 2016 legislative election was won by the NPP; and the campaign was dominated by the faltering economy, which many Ghanaians still associate with Mr Mahama.”

Accordingly, “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.”

They, therefore, said they “expect Mr. Akufo-Addo and the NPP to secure re-election in 2020.”

They, however, noted that, “if the NDC can present a coherent opposition and hold the NPP to account on unfulfilled campaign promises particularly on job creation and industrialisation, where progress has been generally slow and success patchy—the election could be closely contested.”