The Executive Director of Global InfoAnalytics Mussa Dankwah has called on Ghanaians to place greater trust in data science over spiritual predictions when assessing political sentiment, following his team’s recent survey on the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Speaking on The Forum on Asaase Radio on Saturday, January 3, Dankwah said some religious leaders are increasingly using public polls to back their predictions but warned that relying on multiple voices to interpret divine will can be misleading.
Some prophets are now using polls, Dankwah revealed even though he did not give names. God speaks to people, and I have gone round to pick those people’s minds and put them in data. The voice of the people is the voice of God, he said. But I would rather ask people to trust and believe in data science than the spiritual world.
He argued that while prophecies often gain attention during periods such as the 31st night New Year predictions, the real measure of political sentiment comes from verifiable surveys. When it comes to polls, the outcome eventually will be known. The day of giving birth will come and it is on that day that we would say God spoke to somebody. But how can God speak with different voices? That is the issue that we must be very careful about, he said.
The executive director stressed that scientific methods, including sampling, polling, and analysis, provide a more consistent and transparent basis for understanding public opinion. He noted that some religious leaders themselves acknowledge the value of data driven insights in informing social and political decisions.
His comments come as debates continue in Ghana over the accuracy and relevance of political surveys, particularly in the context of upcoming elections, and as New Year prophecies draw significant public and media attention. Global InfoAnalytics recently conducted a survey on voter sentiment toward the NPP, highlighting the contrast between predictive polling and the interpretations offered by spiritual leaders.
In its latest release, former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has opened a commanding lead in the race to lead the New Patriotic Party into the 2028 general elections. The poll, conducted between December 1 and December 21, 2025, shows Dr Bawumia leading with 56% support among all voters, far ahead of former Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP), Kennedy Agyapong, who trails with 28%.
Dr Bryan Acheampong and Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum are tied at 6% each, while Kwabena Agyapong polls 4%. Support for Dr Bawumia is even more pronounced within the NPP’s core base. Among NPP voters, 72% back the former Vice President, reinforcing his dominance ahead of the party’s January 31 leadership poll.
Kennedy Agyapong follows with 19% among NPP voters, while Dr Bryan Acheampong records 4%, Dr Osei Adutwum 3%, and Kwabena Agyapong 1%. The findings indicate the race tilting in Dr Bawumia’s favour, with his closest challengers trailing by wide margins in voter preference. The data also points to a fragmented opposition within the party, which could further entrench his advantage as the race enters its decisive phase.
The National Tracking Poll was conducted across all 16 regions, using a combination of web based, telephone and face to face interviews, and carries a 99% confidence level with a margin of error of ±1.1%. The poll was supervised by Dankwah, a renowned Ghanaian pollster whose work has generated both acclaim and controversy in political circles.
Dankwah has consistently defended the credibility of his organization’s research methodology despite facing criticism from some quarters. During an interview at the International Hausa Day celebration in Kumasi in August 2025, he stressed that his research is based on data and facts, remaining unfazed by critics. As far as we are concerned we believe in data. Sometimes I do a poll and I don’t feel well about it but that is not my view, that is the view of the people. So it doesn’t matter what numbers say we will say it as it is, he stated.
The pollster’s recent comments about prophets using polls reflect a broader tension in Ghanaian society between traditional spiritual practices and modern scientific methods, particularly during election seasons. Ghana’s spiritual leaders, especially those from Charismatic and Pentecostal churches, have a long tradition of making political predictions during the 31st night watch night services that usher in the new year.
These prophecies often attract significant media attention and public debate, with some predictions proving accurate while others fail to materialize. The practice has become so widespread that regulatory bodies have occasionally attempted to discourage unverified prophetic declarations, particularly those involving political outcomes or national disasters.
Dankwah’s call for greater reliance on data science comes as polling organizations face increased scrutiny over their methodologies and accuracy. Some critics have questioned the capacity of polling firms to conduct such extensive research within relatively short timeframes, while others have raised concerns about potential bias in survey design and interpretation.
However, defenders of scientific polling argue that properly conducted surveys using rigorous statistical methods provide more reliable insights into public opinion than subjective spiritual interpretations. They point to the transparent methodology of reputable polling organizations, including details about sample sizes, confidence levels, and margins of error, as evidence of their credibility.
The debate over data versus prophecy extends beyond politics into other areas of Ghanaian public life, including business, education, and healthcare. Increasingly, professionals in various fields are calling for evidence based decision making while acknowledging the continued importance of spiritual beliefs in Ghanaian culture.
Dankwah’s organization, Global InfoAnalytics, has established itself as one of Ghana’s leading polling firms, conducting research on elections, governance, economic issues, and social trends. The organization has released multiple polls on both NPP and National Democratic Congress (NDC) leadership dynamics, parliamentary races, and general political sentiment.
Earlier polls by Global InfoAnalytics suggested the NPP flagbearer race would be tighter than previous contests. In a December projection showing delegate preferences, the organization indicated that while Dr Bawumia maintained a lead with 45%, Kennedy Agyapong had gained ground with 31%, and 20% of delegates remained undecided. The more recent poll showing 56% support among general voters suggests broader public backing beyond just party delegates.
The organization has introduced innovative research models, including the Neighbours Effect model, designed to understand what delegates think their fellow delegates might vote for regardless of their own preferences. This approach attempts to capture social dynamics and peer influence that may not be evident in direct questioning about personal voting intentions.
As Ghana approaches the NPP flagbearer election on January 31, 2026, both scientific polling and spiritual predictions will likely continue to feature in public discourse. Dankwah’s comments suggest growing confidence among researchers that empirical data provides a more reliable foundation for understanding electoral dynamics than prophecies, even as many Ghanaians continue to value spiritual guidance in political matters.
The executive director’s remarks also reflect ongoing efforts by polling professionals to educate the public about the scientific basis of their work and to distinguish legitimate research from speculation or bias. Whether Ghanaians ultimately place more trust in data or prophecy may depend on which approach proves more accurate when election results are finally known.
