There is a lot of unnecessary hullabaloo about the projections made on the presidential elections held on December 28, 2008, by Joy FM. Before one can fairly answer whether Joy FM goofed or not, one must consider drawing the inference from the following issues:

• The meaning of the word projection.
• Secondly, it is said that we learn from the benefit of hindsight therefore one must consider the projections made by Joy FM in previous elections and compare them with the eventual declaration by Dr Afari-Gyan, Ghana’s Electoral Commissioner.

Definition of the word Projection The meaning of the word projection: a prediction or an estimate of something in the future, based on present data or trends (www.answers.com). Projections are used in many ways. They are used in the estimation of future performance made by economists, corporate planners, and credit and securities analysts. Economists use econometric models to project Gross Domestic Product (GDP), inflation, unemployment, and many other economic factors. Corporate financial planners project a company's operating results and Cash Flow, using historical trends and making assumptions where necessary, in order to make budget decisions and to plan financing. Credit analysts use projections to forecast Debt Service ability. Securities analysts tend to focus their projections on earnings trends and cash flow per share in order to predict market values and dividend coverage (source: Financial and Investment Dictionary). Joy FM’s past projections If my memory serves me right, in the year 2000, Joy made projections of the Presidential elections and bingo, it happened just as they had predicted. In the year 2004, Joy made similar projections and lo and behold, their prophecy came to pass. The then Campaign Manager of His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor, Mr Jake Obetsebi Lamptey said on air when he was questioned on why he went ahead of the Electoral Commission, which has the constitutional mandate to declare elections, to call the elections for President Kufuor, that he did nothing wrong because he was only trumpeting the projections made by Joy FM. In the first round of the 2008 elections, Joy FM once again projected a lead for Honorable Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and it happened like the interpretations of Potiphar’s dreams by Joseph, the son of Jacob in the bible (Genesis Chapter 40). The station was hailed by everyone for getting it right again. Why the double standards now? A careful study of human behavior indicates that in general, all humans would accept wholeheartedly, any information that gives them an advantage over their competitors and reject outright any information that does not favor them. Deductively, one can understand where the NPP is coming from. Losses are never palatable and to win a battle, one must be very optimistic and never entertain anything that will puncture your desire and determination for victory! It is called the ‘Art of war’. Sun Tzu said: The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. Hence the skillful fighter puts himself into a position which makes defeat impossible, and does not miss the moment for defeating the enemy. The Writer’s View As far as the author of this article is concerned, Joy Fm did not goof. It is no crime to make projections of an election or any future event so long as there is enough empirical evidence for proper data and trend analyses. In any case, in his statement of results on December 30, one can say the Electoral Commissioner, Dr Afari-Gyan confirmed the projections made by Joy FM that “Prof John Evans Atta Mills is in the lead”. The only disparity is the actual figures and the percentages and the writer is sure everybody knows why this disparity: “The Magic Ashanti Figures”! I say kudos to the hardworking and selfless staff of Joy FM for their professionalism and dedication to the advancement of democracy in Ghana. To Kofi Owusu, Matilda Asante, Vincent Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Akwasi Sarpong, Carl Tufuor, Kofi Ansah, Sedem Ofori, Ato Kwamina Dadzie and the over 500 correspondents of Joy FM covering the elections across the country I say mo! You have done mother Ghana proud. Do not be perturbed, “discerning people are truly listening” . Joy FM is a living testimony to the statement that “the media is the fourth estate of the realm”. Keep on, keep, keeping on Joy FM! The will of God, which is said, to be the will of the people shall surely come to pass. To the NPP Sun Tzu says: The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one's deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field. These are:(1) The Moral Law; (2) Heaven; (3) Earth (4) The Commander; (5) Method and discipline.

• The Moral Law causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger.
• Heaven signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons.
• Earth comprises distances, great and small; danger and security; open ground and narrow passes; the chances of life and death.
• The Commander stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness.
• By method and discipline are to be understood the marshaling of the army in its proper subdivisions, the graduations of rank among the officers, the maintenance of roads by which supplies may reach the army, and the control of military expenditure.

These five heads should be familiar to every general: he who knows them will be victorious; he who knows them not will fail. Better Luck next time! Long live Joy FM! Long live President to be elected, Prof John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills a.k.a. Asomdwehene! Long Live Ghana! From a concerned son of Ghana, Kofi Osei (kofiosei111@yahoo.com)