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Election 2024: Mahama leads with 51.1% as Bawumia trails at 37.3% – Global InfoAnalytics
A final field poll conducted by Global InfoAnalytics shows John Dramani Mahama (JDM), the opposition leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), maintaining a commanding lead over his closest competitor, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia (DMB) of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The poll reveals that Mahama is in the lead with 51.1% of the committed voters, while Bawumia trails with 37.3%. Independent candidates Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten (AKK) and Nana Kwame Bediako (NKB) hold 4.1% and 6.2%, respectively, with other candidates securing 1.3%.
Under the unweighted likely voters’ model, Mahama still leads with 49.3% compared to Bawumia’s 35.9%.
The poll highlights voter apathy as a significant challenge for the NPP, with 16% of potential non-voters identified as NPP supporters. By contrast, the NDC sees only 3% of its supporters in this category. Floating voters and those who declined to disclose their affiliations make up 38% and 39%, respectively, of those who say they will not vote.
Mahama holds a key advantage over Bawumia among floating voters, leading by a substantial 31-point margin (54% to 23%), and a further 18-point lead among voters who refused to disclose their party affiliations. Additionally, Mahama has seen a growing edge among first-time voters, leading Bawumia by 46% to 38%, an improvement from a tied result in July 2024.
A worrying trend for Bawumia is a decline in support among Muslim voters, a key demographic for his campaign, with his backing in this group dropping by nearly 4% between July and October 2024.
The poll also reveals shifts among voters who supported President Nana Akufo-Addo in 2020. While 70% of those voters remain loyal to Bawumia, 19% have switched to Mahama, with 5% each moving to Kyeremanten and Bediako. In key regions like Greater Accra and Central, 20% and 37% of 2020 NPP voters have shifted their support to Mahama.
Nana Kwame Bediako and Alan Kyeremanten are emerging as significant contenders, especially in the Eastern and Ashanti regions, where their combined presence is eroding Bawumia’s dominance. In the Ashanti region, where the NPP aims to secure 85% of the vote, Bawumia remains at 66%, with Mahama at 22%, Bediako at 7%, and Kyeremanten at 4%.
Mahama is also outperforming his party’s parliamentary candidates in 56 of the 111 constituencies surveyed, while Bawumia trails his candidates in 79 constituencies, reflecting the potential impact of Kyeremanten and Bediako on the ruling party’s fortunes.
The poll underscores the central issues influencing voters ahead of the December elections: the economy, jobs, and education. The economy remains the top concern, with 70% of respondents citing it as their primary issue, followed by jobs (62%) and education (48%). Voters are also influenced by the current economic conditions, with 55% highlighting them as a key factor, followed by party performance (40%), candidate credibility (34%), and party manifestos (28%).
On manifesto favorability, the NDC leads the NPP by a 14-point margin, with the NPP’s manifesto holding a net favorability rating of +6 points.
The poll also reveals discontent with the country’s direction, as 62% of voters believe Ghana is heading in the wrong direction. This sentiment is strongest among NDC voters (88%), floating voters (74%), and supporters of other parties (76%). In contrast, 64% of NPP voters believe the country is on the right track.
President Nana Akufo-Addo’s job performance approval stands at 36%, with 59% disapproving. The government’s overall performance is rated as poor or very poor by 49% of voters, while 30% rate it as good or very good.
As the December elections approach, Mahama’s lead in key regions and among crucial voter demographics positions him as the front-runner, while Bawumia and the NPP face increasing challenges, particularly from independent candidates and voter dissatisfaction with the economy.
In terms of regional dominance, Mahama leads in 12 regions, adding the Bono region to his column since the July poll. He now commands Greater Accra, Central, Western, Western North, Bono, Bono East, Northern, Savannah, Upper East, Upper West, Oti, and Volta regions. Bawumia, on the other hand, leads in the Ashanti, Eastern, Ahafo, and North East regions.
Source:Citinewsroom.com
The Ghana National Gas Company has marked this year’s International Women’s Day with a call for stronger mentorship, collaboration and deliberate action to promote women’s participation and leadership in Ghana’s energy sector.
The event, held under the theme “Give to Gain,” brought together government officials, industry leaders, students and women’s groups to reflect on the progress women have made and the steps needed to expand opportunities for them, particularly in the energy industry.
The event sought to empower women and create equal opportunities that would strengthen institutions, drive innovation and contribute to national development.
In her opening remarks, the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emelia Arthur, stated that the progress women enjoy today did not happen by accident but was the result of sacrifices made by others who created opportunities and opened doors.
She explained that every generation had a responsibility to protect and expand those gains, noting that more women were now entering sectors that were once dominated by men.
Madam Arthur added that institutions must intentionally create opportunities through mentorship, professional development and leadership support for women.
According to her, this would not only promote fairness but also strengthen Ghana’s competitiveness in sectors driven by science, technology and innovation.
She urged women who had benefited from opportunities to help open doors for others, stressing that true leadership was measured not by how far individuals rose but by how many others succeeded because of their support.
Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration at the Presidency, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, said the month of March remained important for Ghana because it celebrated both the country’s independence and the achievements of women worldwide.
She noted that the annual observance provided an opportunity not only to celebrate women’s contributions but also to examine barriers that continued to limit their full participation in several sectors.
Madam Bampoe Addo explained that the theme “Give to Gain” highlighted the importance of women supporting one another through mentorship, knowledge sharing and opportunities, adding that when women thrived, institutions and societies also benefited.
She pointed out that women were increasingly making an impact across Ghana’s energy sector, while government efforts to stabilise the sector and expand electricity access remained crucial for economic growth and job creation.
Chief Executive Officer of Ghana National Gas Company, Judith Adjobah Blay, said the theme emphasised the reciprocal benefits of investing in women.
She announced the formation of the Ghana Gas Ladies Association, describing it as a platform to support mentorship, professional development and collaboration among women within the company and the wider energy sector.
Madam Blay added that the initiative would help encourage more women to pursue careers in areas such as engineering, science and leadership within the industry.
Board member of Ghana National Gas Company, Emmanuel Vincent, stated that the company recognised the important role women played in shaping the energy sector.
He noted that management was making deliberate efforts to increase the representation of qualified women, especially in engineering and leadership positions, adding that empowering women would support innovation and national development.
International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 every year to recognize the achievements of women across the world and to promote gender equality, women’s empowerment and equal opportunities in all sectors of society.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, has explained that the pass mark for the ongoing security services aptitude test was set at 65 because of the limited number of spaces available in the current recruitment exercise.
According to him, the decision was necessary to reduce the number of applicants progressing to the medical stage of the recruitment process.
Mr. Mubarak explained that although more than half a million Ghanaians applied to join the security services, the first phase of the recruitment would only absorb about 5,000 recruits.
He noted that after the initial body selection and documentation stages, only a small number of applicants were disqualified, leaving more than 400,000 candidates eligible to sit for the aptitude test.
The minister indicated that allowing all those candidates to proceed to the medical examination stage would be unfair, especially because applicants are required to pay for the medical tests.
“Are you going to allow over 400,000 people to do medicals when there are only 5,000 spaces?,” he asked.
Mr. Mubarak explained that the pass mark was therefore fixed at 65 to drastically reduce the number of candidates progressing to the next stage.
He disclosed that even with the pass mark set at 65, about 105,000 applicants had still qualified to undertake the medical examinations, which remains far above the number of available positions.
The minister stressed that government wanted to avoid a situation where thousands of young applicants would spend money on medical examinations despite having little chance of being recruited.
He explained that the medical tests include several checks such as drug screening and mental health assessments, which contribute to the cost of the process.
According to Mr. Mubarak, the President had directed that the data of candidates who successfully pass the medical examinations should be kept for future recruitment exercises.
He said this would allow government to consider them in the next phase of recruitment instead of making them go through the entire process again.
Mr. Mubarak noted that the current exercise forms part of the 2025 security services recruitment, adding that government hoped to conduct another recruitment exercise once the country’s financial situation improves.
He added that applicants who pass the medical stage but are not selected in the current phase may only be required to repeat the medical examinations if a long period passes before the next recruitment.
By: Jacob Aggrey
