Satisfaction with Ghana’s democracy declines 29% – Afrobarometer

Findings from the 2024 round 10 Afrobarometer survey in Ghana have revealed a sharp 29-percentage-point decline in citizens’ satisfaction with the country’s democracy since 2017. 

The survey also indicated that the number of Ghanaians, who viewed the country as either a full democracy or a democracy with minor problems, had decreased by 20 per cent over the same period. 

On local governance, the findings showed that only four in 10 citizens said traditional leaders and assembly members often or always listened to what ordinary people had to say while only 16% said the same about Members of Parliament. 

Afrobarometer is a pan-African, non-partisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African citizens’ experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life. 

The survey covered all sixteen regions of Ghana and featured a nationally representative sample of adults aged 18 and above. 

Interviews were conducted face-to-face in the respondents’ preferred languages. 

The overall survey focused on citizens’ demand for democracy, accountable governance, local governance, civic engagement, and the impact of climate change. 

The regional dissemination of the round 10 survey findings was held in Tamale, organised by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) with support from GIZ, a German Development Cooperation Agency. 

Simba Ghana, the local implementing partner in the Northern Region, also supported the event. 

Participants included civil society organisations, citizen groups, persons with disabilities, persons from academia, NGOs, youth groups amongst others. 

The workshop offered a platform for participants to interrogate the findings and provide input to help shape future policies and programmes in the country. 

Madam Mavis Zupork Dome, Senior Research Analyst at CDD-Ghana and National Investigator for Afrobarometer Ghana, presented the findings.  

She said the workshop was to spark national dialogue, promote advocacy, and guide policy decisions and academic work. 

She emphasised that, “This workshop is for us to have conversations around the findings on issues of paramount importance to citizens. It also allows us to bring the rich Afrobarometer data to residents outside Accra encouraging informed citizen action.” 

Mr Abdul-Hamid Toyibu, Planning Officer, Sagnarigu Municipal Assembly raised concerns during a roundtable discussion about the declining public interest in civic engagement.  

He emphasised the need for active citizen participation in all spheres of governance to drive national development, especially at the local level. 

Source: GNA 

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