ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- As Ghana approaches its December 2024 general elections, a new survey from Afrobarometer reveals that candidate honesty, personal character, and campaign promises are top priorities for Ghanaian voters.
According to the survey conducted by the Ghana Center for Democratic Development, 90 per cent of respondents rank honesty as the most important quality in candidates, followed closely by character 88 per cent and campaign promises 59 per cent.
This was disclosed in a press release issued by Maame Akua Amoah Twum of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development.
In terms of voting strategy, a majority of Ghanaians, 58 per cent plan to vote for both presidential and parliamentary candidates from the same political party, while only 15 per cent expect to split their votes across different parties.
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Additionally, only a small fraction, 6% are considering independent candidates for either presidential or parliamentary roles.
Although political violence remains a concern, the survey found that 85 per cent of respondents experienced little or no fear of political intimidation or violence during the 2020 election campaign.
This confidence in the safety of the electoral process, coupled with the fact that 81 per cent of Ghanaians believe elections are the best way to choose their leaders, highlights the strong support for democratic processes in the country.
Notably, this support has remained above 80% for more than two decades.
Afrobarometer, an independent research network, has been conducting regular surveys across Africa since 1999, offering insights into democracy and governance on the continent.
The Ghanaian survey, conducted in August 2024 with a representative sample of 2,400 adults, presents a snapshot of voter sentiments just weeks before the upcoming election, with a margin of error of +/-2 per cent.