By Angela Adu-Asomaning and Mabel Esinam Awagah
The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has identified education, employment, healthcare, roads and infrastructure, and the economy as the top concerns for voters ahead of the 2024 elections.
According to the NCCE’s latest report, many voters are particularly focused on issues surrounding the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy, while younger voters are increasingly concerned about employment opportunities.
Speaking at the launch of the report, NCCE’s Director of Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation, Dr Henrietta Sarpong, said these concerns reflect the electorate’s ongoing dissatisfaction and desire for improved policies and services.
The 2024 Matters of Concern to the Ghanaian Voter Survey explored citizens perspectives on the electoral process and what citizens demand from their political representatives.
The study examined key concerns and demands of voters, perception of vote-buying practices in the country’s elections, election-related violence and voter participation, preferences, and behaviour. The study’s data were collected in August 2024 from nine thousand, three hundred and twenty-four (9,324) respondents from all the 276 constituencies.
The Director of Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation valuation at NCCE, Henrietta Asante Sarpong, emphasised specific areas of concern, stating that improving the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy is vital for enhancing the education system.
“On education, Ghanaians want the next Government to address challenges associated with the free SHS Policy”.
Ms Asante noted that a voter’s choice of candidate can be influenced by the candidates representing various parties, their policies, the track record of each party, and the choice of running mates.
The Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education, Kathleen Addy, emphasised the need to speak to the core issues facing the country and avoid the use of fake news.
“The issue of fake news, misinformation and disinformation, is another threat to our stability as a country.”
She also called for tolerance no matter one’s religion or cultural differences to promote peaceful elections.
The report was officially launched under the theme ‘’2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections “Matters of Concern to the Ghanaian voter”.
