Today marks an important day for Ghana as millions of voters head to the polls to choose their next president. The West African nation is facing economic difficulties, including high inflation and a growing debt crisis, which are top concerns for many Ghanaians. Current President Nana Akufo-Addo will step down after serving his maximum two terms in office, and a new leader will take over.
The two main candidates in the race are former President John Mahama from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). If Bawumia wins, he will make history as Ghana’s first Muslim president. Other contenders include businessman Nana Kwame Bediako, who is popular with young voters, and Alan Kyerematen, who left the NPP last year to run as an independent candidate.
The election is particularly notable because it is guaranteed to produce a male president. Ghana’s only female candidate, Akua Donkor of the Ghana Freedom Party, sadly passed away in October, and her replacement was disqualified. However, Donkor’s name will still appear on the ballot paper.
Nearly 19 million Ghanaians are registered to vote. Along with choosing a new president, voters will also elect members of parliament in 275 constituencies across the country. The polls are open from 07:00 to 17:00 GMT, and results are expected within three days. If no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote in the first round, the top two candidates will face each other in a runoff by the end of December.
The election is crucial as the economy remains in crisis. Inflation reached a peak of 54.1% in 2022, pushing many people into poverty, and the country defaulted on its debt repayments that same year. Talks with international lenders are ongoing, and unemployment, especially among young people, is a major concern. These economic challenges will likely play a key role in how voters cast their ballots.
As campaigns wrapped up, Vice-President Bawumia defended his party’s record, claiming they’ve performed better than Mahama’s government despite the challenges. Mahama, on the other hand, promised a future of opportunity, prosperity, and justice for all, urging voters to choose the Ghana they want for tomorrow.
With the economy at the forefront of this election, Ghanaians face a pivotal choice about the country’s future. This election will not only shape the nation’s leadership but also the direction of its recovery from economic hardship.
