A new opinion poll conducted by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has found that a majority of Ghanaians continue to approve of President John Dramani Mahama’s performance in office, although public support has declined from levels recorded late last year.
The survey, released on June 10, 2026, was conducted in May across all 16 regions of the country and sampled more than 1,000 respondents. The findings show that 58.9 percent of respondents approve of the President’s performance, down from 68 percent recorded in December 2025.
Meanwhile, 28.4 percent of those surveyed said they disapprove of the President’s performance, while 12.8 percent expressed no opinion.
Despite the decline, the IEA noted that the President still enjoys a comfortable lead in public opinion, with approval ratings exceeding disapproval ratings by more than 30 percentage points.
The economy emerged as the strongest factor behind the President’s approval ratings. Among respondents who expressed satisfaction with his performance, 73.5 percent cited the government’s management of the economy as the main reason.
Road infrastructure followed with 16 percent, while 2.7 percent pointed to improvements in the energy sector.
According to the IEA, the results reflect significant macroeconomic gains achieved under the Mahama administration over the past year. The institute noted that inflation has dropped from 23.5 percent in January 2025 to about 3.4 percent, while the Ghana cedi has strengthened by 26 percent against major international currencies.
The report also highlighted reductions in interest rates and public debt levels. The Bank of Ghana’s policy rate has reportedly fallen from 27 percent to 14 percent, while average commercial lending rates have declined from around 32 percent to 20 percent. Ghana’s debt-to-GDP ratio also dropped from 61.8 percent at the end of 2024 to 45.3 percent by the close of 2025.
The country’s improving economic outlook has also attracted international recognition. The IEA noted that leading global credit rating agencies upgraded Ghana’s sovereign credit rating, describing the development as the country’s first triple ratings upgrade in several years.
Among respondents who expressed dissatisfaction with the President’s performance, the economy was again the most frequently cited concern, accounting for 30.9 percent of responses. However, the IEA explained that this may not necessarily reflect opposition to the government’s economic policies, but rather concerns that improvements in key economic indicators have yet to translate into meaningful relief for many households.
The institute observed that while inflation has slowed and the cedi has gained strength, many citizens are still waiting to experience tangible improvements in living standards, employment opportunities, and household incomes.
Electricity supply was the second most cited concern among those who disapproved of the government’s performance, with 29.9 percent mentioning recent power outages experienced in parts of the country during May 2026.
Corruption was also identified as a major concern by 19.1 percent of respondents, suggesting that some Ghanaians remain unconvinced by the government’s efforts to tackle the problem.
Overall, the IEA described the findings as an indication that the Mahama administration continues to enjoy broad public support, although expectations among citizens are increasing.
“The findings suggest that Ghanaians are broadly supportive of the President’s leadership but are expectant that the progress recorded at the macro level will increasingly be felt in their daily lives,” the institute stated.
The poll forms part of the IEA’s regular assessments of public perceptions of presidential performance and governance in Ghana.
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