Ghanaians bemoan economic conditions, say country is heading in the wrong direction, new Afrobarometer study shows

Most Ghanaians say the country is heading in the wrong direction, a new Afrobarometer survey shows.

A large majority of citizens give unfavourable assessments of both their personal living conditions and the nation's economic condition, and few are optimistic that things will improve during the coming year. Meanwhile, citizens’ ratings of the government’s performance on key economic issues are overwhelmingly negative.

Citizens’ gloomy outlook aligns with macro-level indicators on Ghana’s struggling economy in a difficult global environment. The country is seeking a bailout from the International Monetary Fund in hopes of stabilising the economy.

Key findings

• Almost nine out of 10 Ghanaians (87%) say the country is heading “in the wrong direction.” Only 11% see things going in the right direction, a 24 -percentage-point decline since 2019 (Figure 1).
• Majorities offer negative assessments of economic conditions (Figure 2):
  • 85% describe the country’s economic condition as “fairly bad” or “very bad,” up from 62% recorded in 2019.
  • And 72% say their personal living conditions are “fairly bad” or “very bad,”compared to 58% three years ago.
• Ghanaians are not very optimistic about the economy: Only 25% expect things to be better in 12 months’ time (Figure 3).
• By large majorities, citizens say the government is performing “fairly badly” or “very badly” on keeping prices stable (94%), narrowing income gaps (92%), improving the living standards of the poor (85%), creating jobs (83%), and managing the economy (82%) (Figure 4).

Afrobarometer surveys

Afrobarometer is a pan-African, non-partisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life. Eight survey rounds in up to 39 countries have been completed since 1999. Round 9 surveys (2021/2022) are currently underway. Afrobarometer’s national partners conduct face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice.

The Afrobarometer team in Ghana, led by the Ghana Center for Democratic Development, interviewed a nationally representative sample of 2,400 adult Ghanaians in April 2022. A sample of this size yields country-level results with a margin of error of +/-2 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Previous surveys were conducted in Ghana in 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2017, and 2019.

Charts

Figure 1: Is the country going in the right direction? | Ghana | 2022

Respondents were asked: Would you say that the country is going in the wrong direction or going in the right direction?

Figure 2: Negative assessments of economic conditions | Ghana | 2022

Respondents were asked: In general, how would you describe: The present economic condition of this country? Your own present living conditions? (% who say “fairly bad” or “very bad”)

Figure 3: Retrospective and prospective assessments of national economic conditions | Ghana | 2022

Respondents were asked: Looking back, how do you rate economic conditions in this country compared to 12 months ago? Looking ahead, do you expect economic conditions in this country to be better or worse in 12 months’ time?

Figure 4: Evaluation of government’s economic performance | Ghana | 2022

Respondents were asked: How well or badly would you say the current government is handling the following matters, or haven’t you heard enough to say?

For more information, please contact:

Ghana Center for Democratic Development

Maame Akua Amoah Twum

Telephone: 0208326343

Email: [email protected]

Visit us online at:

www.cddgh.org www.afrobarometer.org

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