Despite the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economic achievements of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has again predicted that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will defeat the leader of the main opposition party, ex-President John Mahama, in the December 2020 presidential election.
According to the July report which forecast closed in June, Ghanaians still do not trust former President John Mahama under whose presidency, between 2012 and 2016, the economy suffered serious battering.
It said the crucial 2016 election was dominated by public concerns about the faltering economy which many Ghanaians still associate with Mr. Mahama and his poor handling of the economy, and it is still fresh in the memories of the public.
According to the EIU, ahead of the 2020 general election, the Akufo-Addo administration, with hindsight of the effects of Covid-19, has focused on industrialization and infrastructure development, as well as outlining ambitious growth plans for the mainstay of the economy, agriculture, with a view to boosting rural incomes.
“The government’s industrialization push and moves to strengthen the banking sector will benefit non-oil economic growth, although the cost of capital will remain a constraint,” the report said.
“Despite the negative economic impact from the pandemic, 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. We, therefore, expect Mr. Akufo-Addo and the NPP to secure re-election,” the report added.
The EIU said following a rise to 7.8% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2020 as a result of lower oil prices, the current account deficit will narrow in 2021 to 2024 as external conditions and hydrocarbon exports recover.
Ahead of this election, the NPP has focused on industrialization and infrastructure development, as well as outlining ambitious growth plans for agriculture to boost rural incomes.
“Following a marked weakening of the economy in 2020, reflecting a deteriorating current-account position and investor nervousness ahead of the elections, the pace of cedi depreciation will slow in 2021-24 as the hydrocarbons sector ramps up production and rise in prices” the EIU said, adding that after inflation increased to 11.3% in 2020, owing to currency weakness and pandemic-related disruption to supply chains, price rises will slow to an average of 8.8% in 2021-24.
The EIU, however, noted that if the NDC can present a coherent challenge and hold the NPP administration to account on its unfulfilled campaign promises—such as faster progress on infrastructure development—the 2020 elections could be closely contested.
Source: Daily Guide
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Well, for me the free she is a great legacy that really stands tall in the NPP's achievements. However, there are a lot more achievements that ppl sometimes forget. Talk about the beneficiaries of the 1D1F, IV1D, the youth in reforestation, the NABCO, the restoration of allowances and teachers motivations, the revamp of Ghana's railways, the people who have had their new regions, the digitization agenda, the Zongo projects and many others. #2020aDoneDeal
The EIU is like an Oracle, every prediction they have made in they past has come to pass. Let's prepare to usher Nana Addo and Bawumia again into the Jubilee House on January 7 2021
Laughable. Those who think shs students with their parents will vote for NPP are delusional.
Haha funny nana addo will suffer defeat and that will end him we all will see it live and coloured as for EIU their credibility will suffer seriously come december
Nana Akuffo Addo brought Free SHS, No Dumsor, Ghana is now working. If we give only Greater Accra Region to Mahama, he cannot manage it. He is simply not a good Manager.
So far it is possible this diminutive super incompetent man can "beat" the incompetent man......it then presupposes that, there is the possibility of the incompetent man "beating" the diminutive super incompetent man!!!
EIU has done about 10 predictions since nana addo came to power and everyone of them says nana addo would beat mahama. This so laughable. They give predictions as if they are chewing groundnuts. They way they even give their predictions gives them away that they are doing the bidding of nana addo. Anytime they hear Ghanaians are speaking against nana addo they come with these bogus predictions. We live to see.
When did you become a madd man? That 400000 and their parents are going to vote for nana addo because of free SHS. You are really at of your mind.
Let us do simple calculations. Multiple 400,000 Nana Addo's graduates and their parents. Are we talking about 1.2 million votes?. We leave to see. People like Sammy Gyamfis, Kwame Zus and others can attempt to throw dust into the public eyes. Majority of the people of Ghana are discerning enough to make a sound judgement.
Nana all the way #4More to do more