The Executive Director of Global InfoAnalytics, Mussa Dankwah, has responded to criticism of his work as a pollster, saying his professional and academic background extends well beyond election polling.
In a lengthy statement, Mr Dankwah said he had endured insults for years for challenging established narratives about elections in Ghana and relying on data to test claims and theories.
According to him, his work has often attracted criticism because his polling findings have not always aligned with the expectations of political actors and their supporters.
“I have endured insult for years for daring to challenge the status quo and the narrative when it comes to elections in Ghana. We have debunked many theories with pure data,” he wrote.
Mr Dankwah also addressed descriptions of him as a pollster whose services are allegedly influenced by political interests.
He said he had been labelled variously because of his work, including being described as an NDC pollster, despite what he said was a record of undertaking projects under different governments.
“For the records, these are my educational qualifications I have before entering the business of polling,” he stated, while clarifying that he does not hold a formal qualification in political science or statistics.
He, however, stressed that his university education exposed him to statistics and research, including during his studies at the Aarhus School of Business in Denmark.
Mr Dankwah listed several professional and academic qualifications he has obtained in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
They include:
– Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), UK
– Association of Project Management Professions, UK
– Master of Science in Accounting (with Finance), London South Bank University, UK
– Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (MCISI), UK
– Diploma in International Financial Reporting (DipIFR), UK
– Bachelor of Science in Applied Accounting, Oxford Brookes University, UK
He also listed English, German, Arabic, Hausa, Kotokoli, Twi and Ga among the languages he speaks.
Mr Dankwah said the qualifications and professional experience preceded his entry into the polling business and were part of a broader career spanning several sectors.
The Global InfoAnalytics Executive Director further pointed to what he described as special projects he had undertaken in Ghana and across Africa over several decades.
He said those projects had contributed to efforts aimed at improving people’s lives and argued that his record should be assessed on the basis of his overall professional contributions rather than solely his work in political polling.
“I have done a lot more under the NPP government for Ghana than any NDC government,” he claimed.
Mr Dankwah also cited his involvement in discussions surrounding the Ghana Card project under the previous administration.
He recalled appearing before Parliament’s Committee of the Whole in 2018, where he said he faced intense questioning from then Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu and MPs Cassiel Ato Forson and Isaac Adongo over what he described as the US$1.2 billion Ghana Card project.
According to him, he emerged from the parliamentary proceedings without being found culpable over the issues for which he had been questioned.
He said it was therefore ironic that he is now sometimes described as an NDC-aligned pollster.
“Today, when it is convenient, they have labelled me NDC pollster,” he wrote.
Mr Dankwah also turned his attention to individuals who, he said, routinely insult him because of his political polling work.
He challenged his critics to present their own professional and academic records for public scrutiny if they intended to compare themselves with him.
“I have done what I could for this country, so, those who find it a pleasure to insult me at every opportunity, please let’s see yours too,” he stated.
He added that he does not seek employment from government and suggested that some of those who criticise him are motivated by aspirations for government positions.
Mr Dankwah said his professional achievements were accomplished without a PhD, apparently in response to criticism or comparisons based on academic credentials.
His comments come as attention remains focused on the role of opinion polling in Ghana’s political landscape, particularly as pollsters publish projections and assessments ahead of elections.
Mr Dankwah acknowledged the pressure that comes with making electoral predictions in a highly politically charged environment.
He said his appearance on television programmes often exposes him to further criticism, particularly when predictions do not eventually correspond with election outcomes.
“Going to TV stations now for more insults and woe onto me if the predictions fall flat, ma wu,” he wrote.
His remarks underline the intense scrutiny faced by pollsters in Ghana, where electoral forecasts can generate strong reactions from political parties, candidates and their supporters.
Mr Dankwah’s response ultimately sought to shift the focus from political labels attached to his polling activities to his broader academic, professional and project-development record.
By 1960news.com
