The Eagles Forum, a group of professionals dedicated to enhancing political discourse in Ghana, is advocating data and research to be at the forefront of effective governance.

The forum said frequent reliance on unsubstantiated claims in public discourse hindered sound policymaking.

They said by fostering a culture of data-driven decision making, leaders, especially politicians and policymakers can base their choices on facts rather than rhetoric, leading to positive outcomes for the country’s socioeconomic growth.

Speaking with the media on the sidelines of the maiden annual banquet and awards night in Accra on Saturday, the President of the Eagles Forum, Jonathan Gador, expressed concern over the absence of research-backed decisions in Ghana's political landscape.

“In recent years, political decisions in Ghana have often lacked the backing of thorough research.

Good governance is about ensuring that every Ghanaian has the opportunity to live a better life and data is the key to making that happen,” he said.

The event, on the theme,: “Honouring Excellence Inspiring Progress,” brought together key stakeholders in governance to honour the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) research directorate for its exceptional work during the recent election, which played a pivotal role in the party’s success.
 

Awards

Six individuals were recognised for their outstanding performance during the 2024 general election.

They are the Vice-President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, who was the special guest of honour; the Minister of Defence, Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah and the acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Wisdom Yayra Deku.

The rest are Dr Tanko Rashid Computer, Mahdi Jibril and Dr George Atta Boateng who are executives of the NDC.

Collective responsibility

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said the collective responsibility of Ghanaians was key to shaping the future of the country.

“What do we want Ghana to look like in the next five to 10 years and how can each of us contribute to making that vision a reality?” she quizzed.

She recounted a common experience from her campaigns, where she would ask constituents to identify their local challenges.

The list, she said, would always be long, but when it came to discussing what could be done, people often pointed to the government or external parties.

This, she said, identified a key issue—many Ghanaians feel it is someone else’s job to fix problems.

To change this mindset, Prof. Opoku-Agyeman stressed the importance of personal accountability and urged Ghanaians to consider their role in nation-building.