Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia and former leader John Mamama are the two frontrunners
Ghanaians are voting on Saturday for a new leader to succeed President Nana Akufo-Addo, who will step down in January after serving two four-year terms, the maximum permitted under the constitution.
Nearly 18.8 million people in the 34 million-strong West African nation have registered to cast their ballots. They will choose from 12 candidates, including Mahamudu Bawumia of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) leader John Dramani Mamama.
Bawumia, who currently serves as vice president, and Mahama, who was head of state from July 2012 to January 2017, are the two frontrunners. Rising debt and corruption allegations against the government are among the top concerns for voters, according to polls.
Global InfoAnalytics, an independent research organization, recently released a poll putting former president Mahama in the lead with 52%, compared to 41% for Bawumia.
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During his two previous terms, Mahama’s administration faced criticism for frequent power outages, the national currency’s depreciation against the US dollar, and allegations of corruption directed at his officials.
The current government, in which Bawumia serves as chairman of the Economic Management Team, defeated Mahama in 2016 and 2020 with promises of a new era of development and a “Ghana Beyond Aid.”
However, the world’s second-largest cocoa producer has plunged into its worst economic crisis in years under the leadership of Vice President Bawumia – who is also a former central bank deputy governor – and the outgoing president. In 2022, the government defaulted on the majority of its $30 billion in external debt, after years of heavy borrowing.
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A September Afrobarometer report revealed a decline in public trust in the NPP government’s ability to manage the economy and improve living standards in Africa’s top gold-producing country. The survey also found that Ghanaians consider unemployment to be the most pressing issue, followed by infrastructure, which received significant investment while Mahama was in power.
Addressing hundreds of supporters at a final rally in the capital, Accra, on Thursday, Bawumia insisted that despite the challenges, the economy had performed better than during his rival’s tenure.
“When you come to the macro-economy, it’s like night and day. We’ve created more jobs than him,” he said at the gathering on the University of Ghana campus.
“We’ve kept the lights on. On what basis does Mahama want to come back?” the economist added.
Mahama also drew voters to a rival rally in Madina, not far from Bawumia’s location, encouraging them to “reset the country” in an election he calls a “defining moment” for the former British colony.
“I am committed to building a stable, safe and viable 24-hour economy that creates opportunities for millions of jobs. I am committed to implementing economic measures to fight inflation and make food affordable for all households,” he said.
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Speaking to RT after casting his vote at a polling station in Accra, a student named Nana Yaw at the University of Ghana said he voted for Nana Kwame Bediako of the newly formed party, the New Force Movement, because he is “disappointed” in the NPP and NDC.
”I feel they’ve become complacent. It’s time for a strong third party to emerge and challenge the status quo, holding them accountable,” Yaw said.
Adwoa Driketta, a hairdresser, said she voted for NDC’s Mahama due to the ruling party’s “mismanagement” of the country.
“We have been under his governance and experienced the NPP as well. It’s crazy how the NPP has driven the country into the ground in just eight years,” she stated.
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