By: Mercy Nimo
The Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Professor Samuel Kweku Bonsu, has commended Ghanaians for their sustained commitment to democratic governance. His remarks were based on findings from the 2024 Post-Election Survey conducted by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) Ghana in collaboration with GIMPA.
According to the survey, the average Ghanaian voter is well-informed and increasingly influenced by issues of governance, development, and leadership performance—rather than party loyalty or identity politics.
Speaking at the official launch and presentation of the survey at GIMPA under the theme “Stocking Ghana’s Democracy: Voter Behavior and Political Participation”, Professor Bonsu praised the electorate’s evolving political maturity. However, he also expressed concern over the rising monetization and violence associated with recent elections, warning that such trends threaten the integrity of Ghana’s democracy.
The survey, initiated by KAS Ghana and implemented by GIMPA, sought to understand the factors behind the relatively low voter turnout in the 2024 general elections. It also aimed to assess the socio-economic, demographic, and political dynamics influencing voter behavior.
One of the key findings was that the 2024 elections were highly issue-based, with a majority of voters basing their decisions on the content of party manifestos. The study sampled 16,988 respondents—8,244 males and 8,744 females—across all 276 constituencies in Ghana using a multi-stage sampling approach.
The survey found that the highest voter turnout came from less formally educated citizens, such as traders, artisans, and those without defined professional affiliations. Despite their lower educational backgrounds, this group demonstrated a high level of awareness about Ghana’s socio-political and economic issues.
Rector of GIMPA, Professor Samuel Kweku Bonsu, in his keynote address emphasized that, the purpose of the study was to assess the current state of democracy in Ghana and to foster dialogue on governance and citizen participation.
The country representative of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) Ghana, Anna Lena Sabroso Wasserfall, said the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung initiated and supported the implementation and dissemination of the study as part of its long-standing commitment to strengthening democracy, rule of law and political participation in Ghana and the world.
“At a time when democracies across the world are being tested, Ghana’s experience offers valuable insights and provides a solid empirical foundation for future reforms, research and civic engagement “ she added.
Presenting the details of the 2024 Post Election Survey Findings, the Senior lecturer at GIMPA who doubles as the programs director (KAS) Ghana, Dr. Joseph Agyapong Darmoe said the study explored various dimensions of Ghana’s political landscape by critically assessing the factors that impact political decision making in Ghana and how it is transforming political participation and electoral voting behaviour. He said the objectives covered a range of aspects from voting behavior to policy evaluations and reasons for apathy.
He said the survey revealed that, vast majority of Ghanaian voters do not vote based on the religious affiliation of a candidate. The survey again showed that young voters ranging from 18 to 24 years were more open to the minority party such as Nana Kwame Bediako (Cheddar), Alan Kojo Kyeremanteng and the others.
The respondents during the survey attested that television and radio were their most relied on for information with social media placing third position. He added that 66.2 percent of Ghanaians were highly confident in Ghana’s democracy and over 90 percent of respondents showed interest in the next election come 2028.
While 50.5% of respondents expressed a willingness to continue supporting their affiliated political parties, 81.6% of those who voted for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) cited dissatisfaction with the performance of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government between 2020 and 2024. This, Dr. Darmoe noted, is indicative of a decline in blind political party loyalty.
Dr. Joseph Damoe again stated that whereas political party affiliation is important in Ghana’s democracy, performance of government is critical to voters, stressing that policy performance is key.
“Fixing roads, ensuring waste collection, fixing water and electricity problems; these and more of the local issues he said impacts voters behavior of citizens more than any other issue” he said.
Dr. Agyapong Darmoe mentioned that other issues pertaining to Ghana’s democratic practices are being researched on.
