Ghanaians rate President Mahama higher on handling of economy, infrastructure — IEA poll
A majority of Ghanaians approve of President John Dramani Mahama's performance, particularly his management of the economy and road infrastructure, according to a new nationwide survey conducted by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).
The poll found that 58.9 per cent of respondents approve of the President's performance, while 28.4 per cent disapprove and 12.8 per cent expressed no opinion.
The findings indicate a positive public assessment of President Mahama's leadership, with the approval rating exceeding disapproval by more than 30 percentage points.
The survey, which sampled more than 1,000 respondents across all 16 regions of the country, was conducted to assess public sentiment on the President's performance since he assumed office in January 2025.
According to the IEA, the favourable ratings come against the backdrop of improvements in key economic indicators over the past 16 months.
The institute noted that inflation declined from 23.5 per cent in January 2025 to approximately 3.4 per cent in April 2026. During the same period, the cedi appreciated by 26 per cent against major foreign currencies, while the Bank of Ghana's policy rate fell from 27 per cent to 14 per cent. Average commercial bank lending rates also declined from about 32 per cent to around 20 per cent.
The survey further highlighted a reduction in Ghana's debt to GDP ratio from 61.8 per cent at the end of 2024 to 45.3 per cent by the end of 2025.
According to the IEA, these economic gains have been recognised internationally, with credit rating agencies Fitch, Moody's and S&P upgrading Ghana's sovereign credit ratings, marking the first triple upgrade in several years.
The economy emerged as the strongest reason behind public approval of the President's performance. Among respondents who approved of his leadership, 73.5 per cent cited the economy as the main reason, while 16 per cent pointed to road infrastructure development. Energy and electricity accounted for 2.7 per cent of approval responses.
The IEA said the findings suggest that the government's management of the economy remains its greatest source of public support.
However, the survey also revealed concerns among those who disapprove of the President's performance. About 30.9 per cent cited the economy as their primary concern, while 29.9 per cent pointed to electricity supply challenges.
The institute explained that dissatisfaction with the economy may not necessarily reflect opposition to the government's macroeconomic achievements but rather the reality that many Ghanaians have yet to experience significant improvements in their personal living conditions, incomes and employment opportunities.
Electricity supply also featured prominently among concerns raised by respondents, a development the IEA linked to temporary power supply challenges experienced in May 2026, which resulted in frequent outages in several parts of the country.
Corruption was cited by 19.1 per cent of respondents who disapproved of the President's performance, suggesting that many Ghanaians continue to expect stronger action in the fight against corruption.
Despite the generally positive assessment, the survey recorded a decline in President Mahama's approval rating from 68 per cent in December 2025 to 58.9 per cent in May 2026.
The IEA said the drop reflects a public that remains broadly supportive of the President but increasingly expects the benefits of macroeconomic improvements to be felt more directly in their daily lives.