An opinion poll conducted by Global InfoAnalytics has revealed that 72% of Ghanaians approve of the way President John Dramani Mahama is handling his responsibilities as President.
The Executive Director of Global InfoAnalytics, Mussa Dankwa, explained that the figure represents the outcome of a nationwide opinion poll and should not be interpreted as respondents giving reasons for their support of the President’s performance.
Speaking in an interview with Citizen Kofi Owusu on Ahotor FM’s Adekyee Mu Nsem in Accra, Mr. Dankwa said respondents were asked a straightforward question on whether they approved or disapproved of the way President Mahama was performing his duties.
«“We don’t ask them why they approve the performance. We ask them a simple question: Do you approve or disapprove the way he is doing his job as President?”»
He said the latest survey covered all 16 regions of Ghana, with approximately 7,000 respondents sampled to provide a broad representation of public opinion across the country.
According to Mr. Dankwa, there were significant regional differences in approval levels. The Western Region and Bono East Region were among those recording the highest approval levels, while the Ashanti Region recorded the lowest level of approval. He also indicated that the Upper West Region recorded a particularly high approval rating.
Mr. Dankwa cautioned against interpreting the findings based on his personal political or social views, stressing that Global InfoAnalytics’ responsibility is to collect and present data reflecting the views of the public.
«“I don’t give my opinion on such things. I don’t want to meddle my opinion with public opinion. Otherwise, my job will be compromised. I always stick to public data.”»
Standard of Living
The survey also examined how Ghanaians perceive their economic circumstances compared with the previous year.
Mr. Dankwa explained that respondents were asked to assess whether their standard of living had improved or worsened compared with a year earlier.
He said the findings presented a mixed picture, with some respondents reporting improvements in their living conditions, while others continued to indicate that their circumstances had deteriorated.
According to him, public approval of a government does not necessarily depend on a single economic indicator. People’s perception of whether their personal circumstances have improved or worsened compared with the previous year can also influence how they assess government performance.
He suggested that this could partly explain changes in President Mahama’s approval rating compared with earlier surveys.
Global InfoAnalytics to Continue Tracking Public Opinion
Mr. Dankwa also disclosed that Global InfoAnalytics intends to continue tracking public opinion through subsequent surveys.
He said the organisation plans to conduct another exercise in September, during which researchers will select random locations and interview people at those locations.
The exercise, he explained, is not necessarily designed to reach every individual or community but will use a structured sampling process to ensure that the views collected provide a meaningful picture of public sentiment.
He added that the organisation would also return to some of the people who participated in previous surveys.
According to him, this approach will enable Global InfoAnalytics to track how individual opinions change over time rather than relying solely on completely new respondents for every survey.
Mr. Dankwa indicated that another round of engagement would take place in October, as the organisation continues to monitor changing public perceptions of the government’s performance and Ghana’s socio-economic situation.
He stressed that the findings should be understood as public opinion data rather than personal assessments by the polling organisation.
The latest findings provide an indication of how President Mahama’s performance is currently perceived by a significant section of the Ghanaian public. Subsequent surveys are expected to provide further insight into whether the approval rating remains stable, increases or declines.
Story by Stephen Kwaku Owusu Mintah/Ahotoronline/Accra.