By Paul Mamattah

The Research Monitoring and Evaluation Department of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has organised a three-day face-to-face training for 290 Research Assistants (RAs) and supervisors from various district and regional offices across the country.

The training, conducted by the Research Monitoring and Evaluation Department, aimed to enhance the participants’ research skills and ensure consistency in data collection.

The initiative is part of NCCE’s efforts to strengthen research capacity and improve the quality of data collected for civic education programmes.

The three-day face-to-face training, was divided into four groups, with each group attending different sessions to ensure active participation and learning. 

The survey dubbed; “Matters of Concern to the Ghanaian Voter” is conducted every election year by the NCCE in line with its constitutional mandate to promote issue-based political and electoral campaigns. 

In her welcome address, the Ashanti Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Madam Margaret Konama, extended a warm welcome to all participants and urged them to actively engage in the process to help build a better Ghana.

She emphasized the importance of research in addressing the concerns of Ghanaian voters during election periods. 

Madam Konama, added that the Commission is gearing up for the 2024 general election by training Research Assistants to collect data for the Commission.

On her part, the Chairperson of the NCCE, Madam Kathleen Addy, emphasized the significance of the “Matters of Concern to the Ghanaian Voter” programme, labelling it as one of the Commission’s most crucial annual initiatives.

She stressed the importance of conducting this research before the release of political parties’ manifestos, as the insights gained from this exercise typically influence the content of these manifestos. However, she noted that even if conducted later, the exercise still holds substantial value.

She stressed that the data collected from this initiative plays a vital role in enhancing the effectiveness of Parliamentary debates, making it a key component of the election season. 

“Beyond shaping manifestos, the Commission leverages this information for public awareness campaigns aimed at helping Ghanaians better understand their needs, desires, and aspirations for both themselves and the nation”. She added.

Madam Kathleen Addy, urged all stakeholders, especially those vying for positions of power, to take the findings of this research seriously, saying that civil society organisations, donors, and the general public will express a keen interest in the outcomes of these findings, emphasizing their broader significance.

To the Research Assistants involved in data collection, she stressed the critical nature of their role in ensuring the representativeness of the information gathered from the voting public. 

The NCCE Chairperson, encouraged them to approach the exercise with diligence and open-mindedness, even if they have prior experience in data collection, to prevent bias and ensure the reliability of the findings.

In her presentation, the Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Department of the NCCE, Dr Henritta Asante-Sarpong, stated that the initiative aims to foster political stability and democratic progress in Ghana by facilitating dialogue among Presidential and Parliamentary candidates.

According to her survey, a tradition of similar studies conducted in past election years is expected to spur public discourse and ensure an issue-focused campaign leading up to the 2024 elections. 

Dr Asante-Sarpong, noted that with its presence in all 260 districts and 16 regional capitals, the NCCE is well-equipped to conduct this comprehensive nationwide study.

She reiterated that to ensure the survey’s credibility and representativeness, a scientifically selected sample size of 9,341 individuals has been chosen for the exercise.

Dr Asante-Sarpong, pointed out that this sample size was determined using the well-established Kyeicie and Morgan formula, taking into account the total population of 17,931,673 individuals aged 18 and above. 

She added that with a meticulous calculation that considers a 1.0% margin of error and a 0.5% non-response rate observed in previous studies, the NCCE aims to gather insightful data that will spur public discourse and enlighten both Presidential and Parliamentary candidates on the pressing concerns of the Ghanaian electorate.

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