EIU predicts NPP victory in December

The Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) has predicted that the New Patriotic Party's Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will defeat former President John Dramani Mahama to retain his seat at the Presidency in December.

In its latest report on the upcoming Presidential elections and forecast on the state of the Ghanaian economy, the renowned economic and financial institution said the NPP will win the elections inspite of  challenges brought about by the Coronavirus pandemic this year.

The latest report, finalised in June, said the NPP government's trump card going into the elections is its management of the economy since assuming power in 2017, stating emphatically that the governing NPP is seen as better managers of the economy than the opposition NDC.

"The next general elections are due in December 2020. The Economist Intelligence Unit expects the NPP to retain power, as the party is seen as a better custodian of the economy than the opposition National Democratic Congress," the EIU stated in its latest report.

On the economy, the EIU said the government faces the challenge of seeking to contain fiscal pressures caused by the Coronavirus pandemic and the sharp drop in global oil prices while limiting the associated socioeconomic damage.

The report however, hailed the Nana Addo government's industrialisation drive under the One District One Factory initiative, as well as strengthening of the financial sector, saying it will benefit non-oil growth.

"The government's industrialisation push and mives to strngthen the banking sector will benefit non-oil economic growth, although the cist of capital will remain a constraint," the reports noted.

Still on the econony, the EIU edicted a positive outlook moving forward following the devastating effects the Coronavirus pandemic has had on the hitherto strong economic indicators achieved by the NPP.

As it expects the impact of the Coronavirus to miminise, the EIU forecast a positive real GDP growth in 2021, a slower pace of depreciation, lower inflation among other positive forecast.

The latest electoral prediction is the third successive time the EIU is predicting victory for the governing NPP.

It made similar prediction in its  December 2019 report and a second prediction was made earlier this year in its April 2020 report.