Things To Know As Ghana Votes In Tight Presidential Election Race

Ghanaians voted in the presidential and parliamentary elections on Saturday, with the frontrunners being Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia and former President John Mahama, who are facing off in a tightly contested race.

The country’s struggling economy dominated the campaign, with the government grappling with a debt default, soaring inflation, and ongoing negotiations for a $3 billion IMF bailout.

Voters are choosing a successor to President Nana Akufo-Addo, who is stepping down after serving two terms, and will also elect a new parliament.

Voting began at 0700 GMT and ended at 1700 GMT on Saturday, with early results expected Sunday and full presidential election results anticipated by Tuesday.

“We want to vote for change. The economic situation is very hard,” said retired policeman James Nsiah, waiting to cast his ballot in the capital, Accra. “The cost of living is high.”

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In preparation for the elections, the government temporarily closed all land borders from Friday night until Sunday to “ensure the integrity” of the vote, according to an interior ministry statement.

Ghana’s two main political parties, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), have alternated power almost equally since 1992, contributing to the country’s political stability.

The NPP hopes to achieve an unprecedented third term under Bawumia, who has embraced the slogan “Break the 8” in reference to the two-term limit. However, he has faced criticism over the economic performance of Akufo-Addo’s administration.

“I know what I want to do from day one in the presidency. Give me the chance to transform this nation,” Bawumia told thousands of supporters at a closing rally in Accra.

A UK-educated economist, Bawumia points to recent improvements in the economy, such as a decrease in inflation from over 50 percent to around 23 percent, and the government’s ongoing digitalisation efforts aimed at easing business operations.

He also highlights free education and healthcare programs as key achievements. However, many Ghanaians still struggle with high living costs, limited job opportunities, and a weakened cedi.

Opposition candidate Mahama, who served as president from 2012 to 2017, has capitalized on discontent with the current government’s economic record.

Despite failing in two previous presidential bids, Mahama promises to “reset” Ghana’s economy by implementing a “24-hour economy,” which would extend industrial hours to create jobs and boost production. He also pledges to renegotiate parts of the IMF bailout deal.

Some analysts believe Mahama has an edge due to voter dissatisfaction with the NPP’s handling of the economy, though he faces criticism for the financial difficulties and power outages during his own presidency.

Both leading candidates hail from the northern region, traditionally an NDC stronghold but now more fragmented, making it a crucial battleground.

While the economy was the central issue, other challenges also weighed heavily in the election, including the rising threat of jihadist spillover from neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso and the expansion of illegal gold mining, which continues to harm river systems and cacao farmlands, vital to Ghana’s export economy.