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CDD-Ghana Research Director, Dr. Edem Selormey
A pre-election survey conducted by the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has indicated that the majority of Ghanaians remain concerned about the activities of vigilante groups in the country.
According to the survey, 71 percent of those surveyed said that the activities of vigilante groups affiliated with political parties continued to threaten or undermine peace and security in the country.
He indicated that despite this, 50 percent of the electorate believes that the government has so far demonstrated the political will to enforce the law that criminalizes vigilantism.
Surveyed
The survey, which had 2,400 respondents, was conducted between September 28 and October 16, 2020.
Conducted for the first time in 2016, the CDD-Ghana pre-election survey aims to collect early warning signs by monitoring citizens’ views on the country’s overall level of preparation for elections; public confidence in the competence, integrity, and neutrality of state and quasi-state organs relevant to elections; and voter behavior, expectations, priorities, and potential participation.
With financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the CDD-Ghana pre-election survey also aims to isolate and identify voter concerns regarding electoral security, physical intimidation, violence and the perception of peace in the political environment.
Violence
The survey results presented by CDD-Ghana Director of Research Dr. Edem Selormey in Accra last Friday said Ghanaians overwhelmingly abhor political violence.
They said, for example, that 93 percent of the electorate said it was wrong and punishable for angry supporters of political parties to destroy public and private property, such as offices or vehicles.
Another 93% also considered that collective violence perpetrated by supporters of political parties was wrong and punishable, while 92% agreed that it was wrong and punishable to destroy campaign materials such as posters, flyers and flags of a political party or candidate .
Address
The poll further revealed that Ghanaians were divided on the direction of the country, especially regarding the mood of the electorate.
This was different from the 2016 pre-election polls conducted in July and October, where 68 to 70 percent of the electorate felt the country was going in the wrong direction.
In those two polls, 24 percent in July 2016 and 26 percent in October 2016 of the electorate felt the country was heading in the right direction.
However, the recent poll indicated that Ghanaians were divided in the direction of the country: 47 percent of the electorate said the country was going in the wrong direction and another 47 percent said it was going in the right direction.
The remaining six percent did not know or declined to comment on the address.
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