Unemployment tops Ghanaians' priorities amidst strong support for key government initiatives — Afrobarometer

Ghanaians identify unemployment as the most important issue for the government to address, followed closely by infrastructure/roads and health, the latest Afrobarometer survey reveals.

Citizens express widespread support for the continuation of government initiatives aimed at social and economic improvement. Large majorities back the free senior high school programme as well as the planting/rearing for food and jobs; one district, one factory; and one village, one dam initiatives. In contrast, more than three-quarters of citizens prefer that the electronic transactions levy (e-levy) be discontinued.

Many Ghanaians experienced some level of lived poverty in the past year, suffering shortages of basic necessities such as food and clean water. Large majorities of citizens rate the government’s economic performance negatively.

Key findings

• Unemployment (41%) is the most frequently cited problem that Ghanaians want the government to address, followed by infrastructure/roads (38%) and health (33%) (Figure 1).
• Strong majorities express support for the next government to continue several current programmes: the free senior high school (85%); planting/rearing for food and jobs (81%); one district, one factory (71%); and one village, one dam (60%) (Figure 2). But 79% favour discontinuing the electronic transactions levy (e-levy).
• Seven in 10 Ghanaians say they or someone in their household went without a cash income at least once during the previous year. Many also report shortages of medical care (54%), water (44%), food (44%), and cooking fuel (42%) (Figure 3).
• Ratings of the government’s economic performance are overwhelmingly negative. Fewer than two in 10 Ghanaians rate the government positively on managing the economy (19%), creating jobs (18%), improving living standards of the poor (17%), narrowing gaps between rich and poor (11%) and keeping prices stable (8%) (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. Nine survey rounds in up to 42 countries have been completed since 1999. Round 10 were launched in January 2024. 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 August 2024. 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, 2019, and 2022.

Charts
Figure 1: Most important problems | Ghana | 2024

Respondents were asked: In your opinion, what are the most important problems facing this country that government should address? (Respondents could give up to three answers. Figure shows % of respondents who cite each problem as one of their three priorities.)

Figure 2: Should the next government retain these ongoing initiatives? | Ghana | 2024

Respondents were asked: Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with the following statement: Regardless of which party wins the 2024 national elections, the next government should continue to implement the following initiatives, or have you not heard enough about them to say: The free senior high school or SHS programme? The one district, one factory initiative? The planting or rearing for food and jobs initiatives? The electronic transactions levy or E-levy? The one village, one dam initiative?

Figure 3: Went without basic necessities | Ghana | 2024

Respondents were asked: Over the past year, how often, if ever, have you or anyone in your family gone without: Enough food to eat? Enough clean water for home use? Medicines or medical treatment? Enough fuel to cook your food? A cash income?

Figure 4: Assessments of government economic performance | Ghana | 2024

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?