Afrobarometer has appointed Dr Joe Asunka as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead the institution in the coming years.
His appointment was announced at a press soiree held on Tuesday in Accra.
Dr Asunka holds a Bachelor of Art and Masters Degrees respectively in Computer Science/Statistics and Economics from the University of Ghana, Legon, as well as a Doctorate Degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
The Co-founder and former head of Afrobarometer, Prof. Emmanuel Gyimah-Boadi, introduced Dr Asunka as someone who has held a position with Afrobarometer Network-Wide Data as a Manager.
He further added that the new CEO had also taken up a position with the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation in Silicon Valley, California.
“And now, in the full strength of mid-career, and having built great capacity and forged extensive contacts in the sphere of promoting accountable governance, he (Dr Asunka) has literally come back home to lift Afrobarometer to greater heights in its 3rd decade and beyond,” the former Afrobarometer head asserted.
In his acceptance speech, Dr Asunka promised to turn Afrobarometer into a primer Pan-African Research Institution on the continent.
To this end, he used the opportunity to explain that Afrobarometer was an Africa-wide survey research project, which had partner institutions in about 35 countries, including Ghana.
According to him, the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) was one of its partner institutions, adding, “the Secretariat of the Afrobarometer happens to share the same premises with CDD-Ghana, and sometimes the lines get blurred for people outside our network.”
He also seized the opportunity to urge members of the inky fraternity to be considerate with the reportage and act in the best interests of the public.
Although Dr Asunka vividly understands that in the media bad news sell, said “but the news that sells well is not always that which is in the best interest of the public. In fact, most often it is the opposite. For instance, a story that is taken out of context may sell well, but it may also drive a wedge in society, creating distrust and resignations.”
He was certain that to hold policymakers accountable, there was a need for the media to focus on the substance of the survey outcomes, while prioritising on subjects that have the potential of driving positive change in the lives of the ordinary people.
In this accord, the new CEO added that Afrobarometer stands for the ordinary citizens whose voices cannot be heard, and projects what is important to the people, as well as where the government should step in.
“We do all of this to ensure that governments and development stakeholders have a better understanding of changing societal dynamics in their countries, and to consciously build these into policy planning and service delivery,” he stated.
Dr Asunka strongly believes that the role of the media is important in all these to save Africa out of its ever unending economic and political troubles.
The post Afrobarometer appoints Dr Joe Asunka as new CEO appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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