Ghana’s First-Time Voters Prioritize Youth-Centric Policies and Long-Term Policy Vision in 2024 Elections
As Ghana prepares for its presidential elections on December 7, 2024, first-time voters are emerging as a critical demographic with distinct preferences and expectations for the nation’s future leadership.
Speaking during a recent X Space Discussion organized by NorvanReports, the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), and the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) on the topic, “Thumbs And Voices: Activating First-Time Voters in Ghana and US Elections” on Sunday, September 22, two first-time voters, Rolanda Agbolo and Isaac Apeaning, outlined the key issues that will influence their voting decisions, with a strong emphasis on youth-centric policies, leadership experience, and citizen engagement.
Rolanda Agbolo, an articulate advocate for youth interests, expressed that her foremost consideration in selecting a candidate would be their focus on addressing issues that directly impact the younger generation.
“The first box I would check would be a leader who wants to address youth-centric issues, issues that resonate with the youth,” Ms Agbolo said. With the youth making up a significant portion of Ghana’s electorate, their expectations are increasingly shaping the discourse around policy priorities.
Ms Agbolo’s concerns reflect a broader demand for leaders to focus on education, job creation, and other areas where young people are disproportionately affected.
However, Ms Agbolo’s expectations go beyond immediate concerns. She also emphasized the need for a leader who thinks long-term, with policies that extend beyond the current political cycle.
“I’m looking forward to a leader who has policies that are not only restricted to our current dispensation but also looks into the future,” she stated. Ms Agbolo further stressed the importance of climate change, a growing concern among Ghanaian youth who are increasingly attuned to global environmental issues.
“The last box I would check would be a leader who is climate-change careful, someone who has the issue of climate change at heart,” she added.
Isaac Apeaning, another first-time voter, echoed some of Ms Agbolo’s sentiments but placed particular importance on policy specifics and leadership experience.
He identified three political parties that he believes are seriously contesting the presidency but focused on two whose proposals have caught his attention.
“One party is thinking of restructuring the educational structure in Ghana, and the other party is thinking of making people work 24 hours, which I think will boost our revenue as a country and increase productivity,” he noted.
Mr Apeaning’s policy-driven approach highlights the increasing sophistication of Ghana’s young electorate, who are not just voting based on party loyalty but are evaluating candidates’ proposals on their merits.
Beyond policies, Mr Apeaning stressed the importance of a candidate’s track record in leadership roles. “I don’t want someone to be the president of the nation who hasn’t handled certain roles or been in certain leadership positions,” he explained.
For him, a candidate’s past performance in leadership, and how effectively they have wielded influence, will be a major factor in his decision-making.
Mr Apeaning also criticized the tendency of politicians to engage with citizens only around election time. “You would hardly see a politician come to your community three years after they’ve been elected. You’d only see them in your communities when it’s close to elections,” he lamented.
This sentiment resonates with a growing number of Ghanaians who are demanding more consistent engagement from their leaders, beyond the brief flurry of activity that accompanies election cycles.
The insights from Ms Agbolo and Mr Apeaning reflect a broader shift in the political expectations of Ghana’s youth, who are increasingly looking for leaders who offer more than short-term promises.
With 13 presidential candidates approved to contest the December 7 polls, the ability of political parties to address the demands of this critical demographic could prove decisive.
For many first-time voters, the election represents not just a chance to participate in democracy but an opportunity to shape the future of the nation with policies that will have a lasting impact on their lives.
