Pollsters must stop making false predictions – Veep

Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has called on pollsters publishing results of pre-election polls to desist from making false predictions. Vice President Amissah-Arthur made the call at the inauguration of a Boys Dormitory block for the Enyan Abaasa Technical Institute in the Ajumako-Enyan –Essiam District of the Central Region. The school, which was started by the community in 1989, was given final approval in 2010 to operate as a Day Secondary School.

The visit formed part of the second phase of the Vice President’s campaign tour of the Central Region. Vice President Amissah-Arthur was accompanied by Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe, Member of the Council of State, MS Barbara Serwah Asamoah, Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan, and former National Organizer of the NDC among others. 

Vice President Amissah-Arthur said false opinion polls have the potential to undermine the work of the Electoral Commission (EC) and create problems for the country. He said the constant attack on the work of the EC can weaken the integrity of the institution and set the stage for people to reject the results when it is announced. He appealed to people publishing such opinion polls to be careful about what they are doing and its effects on the nation’s stability. “You may be doing this for people who may not understand the process, and may believe they going to win and then don’t win, then they become violent; this is all that we trying to discourage,” he said. 

Vice President Amissah-Arthur also urged the students to analyze the manifestoes and policies of all the political parties to enable them make informed decisions on election day. He said the priority of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government is to put people first in terms of education and health. Nana Osagyefo Ankwanu II, Chief of Enyan Abaasa, praised the Mahama led government for working with chiefs to enhance the development of the country. He also commended Mr Casely Ato Forson, Deputy Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament (MP) for Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam constituency for providing developmental projects to the area. Nana Osagyefo Ankwanu urged leaders of political parties to stay away from their opponents ground to keep him safe. 

Mr Paul Ansah, the Headmaster of the school, said the school was started in 1989 by the community to provide the requisite skills to residents in Enyan Abaasa and surrounding communities. The school offer programmes in electrical engineering technology, automobile engineering, building construction technology, fashion and designing, catering and hospitality management and business accounting. Vice President Amissah-Arthur also paid courtesy call on Daasebre Kwebu Ewusi, Paramount Chief of the Abeadze Traditional Area to congratulate him on winning the election to become the Vice President of National House of Chiefs. He also addressed NDC supporters at mini rallies in Gomoa Afransi, Esti Sonkwaa and Anomabo where he introduced Rachel Apoh, Mr Casely Ato Forson and Mr James Essoun as the NDC Parliamentary candidates for the Gomoa Central constituencies to the people.