We welcome UG poll but Akufo-Addo would do even better than they predict - Herbert Krapa

The government’s spokesperson on governance and legal affairs, Herbert Krapa has stressed that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who is the flagbearer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) will perform better than the victory predicted for him by the University of Ghana.

The survey done by the Political Science Department of the university predicted a 51.7% win for the governing NPP’s Nana Akufo-Addo as against 40.4% for NDC’s John Mahama. The survey also placed Ghana Union Movement (GUM) candidate, Christian Kwabena Andrews third with 1.4%.

However, Mr. Krapa insists, the record of the NPP government dwarfs that of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama in all facets of the national economy.

To this end, the survey by the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana has been even charitable to the NDC because “we believe President Akufo-Addo would do far better than their projection,” he stressed.

Mr. Krapa made the assertion when he responded to the survey on Accra-based GhoneTV. He noted that as a government, “We welcome the findings of this survey because it represents the sentiments of the broad majority of the Ghanaian people and echoes their expectations for the coming elections.”

He said, fortunately, both candidates John Mahama and President Akufo-Addo have had the opportunity to lead Ghana as heads of state, hence “this election is about track records.”

"The records are in favour of the President by a very huge margin. We in the NPP are happy because President Akufo-Addo’s track record, while evident for all to see, has provided the solutions to the problems Mr. Mahama left behind as his track record.”

Responding to a question of whether the NPP has done its own independent polls, Mr. Krapa said, “We are happy with the results we see on the ground. President Akufo-Addo has worked hard for which reason he is receiving global commendation and we do not think the Ghanaian people who are direct beneficiaries of his policies and vision, see things any differently. They would not want to rock the boat and they won’t change a leader who is doing so much for them.”

He said in the area of energy, the situation of erratic power supply otherwise referred to as “Dumsor” which gave Ghanaians sleepless nights, collapsed business, and left many jobless is now a thing of the past. It negatively affected all aspects of Ghanaian life, from industry to education, to small businesses, health, and the economy as a whole. He reiterated that “President Akufo-Addo promised to end dumsor when voted to power and he did.”

Mr. Krapa who is also a legal practitioner noted that “Ghana’s economy under John Mahama had crushed and was ailing on its knees to the point he had to run to the IMF for help. President Akufo-Addo promised to take Ghana out of IMF and he did.”

"Unemployment under John Mahama was so high that frustration forced the youth to form the Unemployed Graduates Association. Under Nana Akufo-Addo’s ‘Agenda for Jobs’ promise, teacher and nursing trainee allowances have been restored, a backlog of graduate nursing and midwives has been cleared while the economy has been opened up to allow the backlog of civil and public servant unemployment left behind by Mahama to also be cleared. NABCO and the president’s industrialisation agenda through 1 District 1 Factory has also employed many more people."

He added that "Free SHS which was campaigned against by Mahama and the NDC, as well as experts, has today provided an opportunity for over a million students. As a result of the success of the Free SHS programme, today, those who said it was not possible to achieve, are claiming credit for.”

“The verdict is out there and on the thumbs of the Ghanaian people. On December 7 the people of Ghana, who are the ultimate referees will tell us who instituted free SHS and who was against it. Today, thanks to the vision of President Akufo-Addo, the financial burden of school fees has been lifted off the shoulders of parents and school enrollment has increased astronomically.”

In conclusion, Mr. Krapa said “the mother and grandmother of all polls is coming in a few days, and the NPP is confident that the Ghanaian electorate will vote resoundingly to return President Akufo-Addo and the NPP to power to continue with the good work they are doing for them. The UG poll he said reflects what is coming but it would be even bigger than predicted.”

Peter Boamah Otokunor, NDC Deputy General Secretary who also responded to the survey, rubbished the poll and said it lacked credibility and was sponsored by the government. He said Mahama would win the elections by an overwhelming majority.